Fatheads can go in during fall. However any fish stocked in fall will not grow much over winter and not in spring until the water gets to 50F. Allowing a new pond do develop large numbers of zooplankton and insect invertebrates in fall through early spring creates good natural fish foods for the spring stocking of minnows and panfish. The main exception of this suggestion is for SMB and walleye when fall stocking is best for the most selections and availability. Minnows and small panfish can go in together in spring with predators getting stocked in fall or the next spring. Remember fish do not grow very much in cold water, except trout.
Want quick fishing and an interesting angling experience during the first winter/spring? Stock 20-40 trout (8"-14") this fall as soon as the water drops to 65F. Feed the trout pellets through fall, winter if ice free, and again in spring. Get some fish food where you buy the trout. Harvest trout anytime before May 20. It is a great way to utilize a new northern pond.
Fall stocked fish should have enough time to put on fat reserves to maintain good health during the hard winter ahead of them. No use buying fish that die in winter due to stress and lack of food.
Spring-early summer, stocking is often best because foods are quickly developing that benefits fish growth; exceptions are SMB and walleye as noted above. Stocking in late summer (Aug-Sep) can work if quite a few natural foods are present or the fish are pellet trained and fed pellets until water drops to 55F. For RES since they do not have strong competition with other fish is to get them in early with the minnows. This way the RES become well established and maintain a stronger presence in later years in the pond.
Stocking a new pond can be real simple but after 3-4 yrs you may not have what you really wanted in a fishery or fish pond due to lack of preplanning and learning about the options and best ways to do it; again based on your goals. Just about everyone you talk to will have a different opinion of their favorite fish to stock, especially if those people are trying to sell you fish or wanting to fish in your pond. Goals are important. Decide on the goals of the fishery or pond use; then stock and manage to meet those goals. Do good homework and ask questions here before stocking.
My research over the last 28 years is that YP will not maintain catchable numbers of new fish once the LMB start reproducing and those new predators and the 2nd generation need fed. YP stay too slender for too long and all young ones end up as fish food for the LMbass especially if you keep the pond relatively clean of weeds. To maintain perch numbers after the original ones die (old age or are harvested), you will have to periodically restock with 8"-9" YP to avoid their being eaten by 15"+ LMbass. Keep your bass small (6"-10") by harvesting all bass over 10"-11" and then you can restock with 4"-7" YP.
For background read through these:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92459#Post92459http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=165766&page=1http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=156711http://www.pondboss.com/free_articles.asp?id=14&p=3http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/forage_bass_stocking.htmlhttp://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=172389&page=3http://bigbluegill.com/forum/topics/stocking-new-pond-for-big-bghttp://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=11560&fpart=2Come back with questions.
