Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Raising forage fish - yet another question

I am in the process of have my 2 acre pond renovated. My goal is to have a bass/bluegill pond. While I am not necessarily looking for a trophy bass pond I wouldn't mind having some bigguns. I have read a lot here on the limitations of fatheads and the difficulty in keeping a population for any length of time. Since the excavator will have his machines at the pond site in a month or so I was thinking of creating a small pond to raise fatheads. How big would it need to be to be worth it? I guess I could either have it separate from the existing pond or 'attached' as small cove-like structure separated by some sort of 'fence' (easier since it wouldn't need additional approvals). Any thoughts on size or feasability?

RobA read this thread for some info.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001433;p=1#000000

I have thought of having a small pond for shiners seperated by a dam for the large pond. Then have a pipe from one pond to the next that is above the large pond water lever. Then every fall pump water from the large pond into the small until the the water level rises enough to create water flow through the pipe into the big pond. Then sein thousands of shiners towards the pipe in the samll pond so they go though the pipe into the big pond.
I would still have enough left over to spawn again next year creating a few more thousand every year.

MB I know there is a prior thread on the exact idea you have but I can't find it yet. Here are a couple of similar ones but not as good. The one I can't find goes over many of the angles of a hatchery pond next to the main pond. If done right it can work well but it takes time and effort. You would have to feed the shiners as a small pond would not have enough forage to grow out lots of shiners. Water quality would have to be watched also.

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=000129;p=1

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=002682;p=1

Thanks ew, you are the link master of PB