Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking a swimming pond

3/4 acre pond 13 ft max depth with slot of pond 8-10 ft deep. Just stocked 40 lbs fathead minnows in spring. Added 100 redhear, and 150 hybrid bluegills month ago. Wife not liking the nibblers and removed 50 hybrids. Thinking more redhear? Adding perch and smallmouth in fall. Looking for right balance for nice swimming pond .

If your Mrs doesn't like getting nipped, the only way to reduce it is to catch out as many HBG as possible, now. If the nibblers spawn, only a total kill off will put an end to surprise attacks from under the water!

I don't think RES are known to nip much, but stocking more will not impact the HBG. I think you are fine right now on RES numbers. The combination of YP and SMB would do well without the HBG also. One other addition might be a few HSB in a year or so....

My CNBG really nibble, but hoping as they get bigger and LMB start to work on them it will get better. Right now they will leave marks. If you really want it to be mainly swimming, I would look into LMB then maybe BC. They should wipe out the HBG pretty quick. Seems to be mainly the 2-5" fish that are the main nibblers.

I'm kind of basing that on what NOT to do for a fishing pond and HBG being the base forage fish.

Going to keep removing hyb and get there numbers reduced . Do you think the 100 redhear is already enough without the hybrids?

If adding the YP in about a 3 or 6 to 1 ratio to SMB, yes, you'll have enough RES to provide snail control. Without a more prolific forage producer, RES won't reproduce quite enough forage as your SMB grow. I would try adding some spotfin shiners or other non nipping minnows if you can find some. Golden Shiners would be ideal, but may nip too strongly (won't nip anywhere near as hard, like a BG/HBG!)

Thinking 50 smb, 100 perch, and 150 more redear sunfish

I'll let Bill Cody, in Ohio, give a solid, non-nipping stocking plan. I believe what you are thinking would leave your pond with 50 very hungry SMB in no time at all...

Non-nipping plan for swimmers esp for kids&women was to not HBG. Now that you have HBG you are stuck with them unless you renovate the pond. To keep HBG in full control you will need largemouth at close to 80-100per acre. Keep the predators dense to eat practically all the sunfish offspring which will begin the next spring spawn period.

I only put in 150 so far and have caught and removed 60 so far. Do not want largemouth

Then you're probably on the right track. Our swimming pond is stocked with HBG and LMB, and nipping is non-existent. The combination of no LMB and slow, easy floating, will get you bit for sure until the HBG grow larger. Keep pulling them out.