Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Where to Purchase Yellow Bass Online?

Does any one know of or can help me find a place to buy yellow bass online? I've got a small pond that doesn't have any fish in yet and after thinking about options I've decided that I'd like to stock it with yellow bass if I can find them. I love catching white bass but I'd love to have a similar experience at home. I've read several different stories about how yellow bass can take over ponds and small lakes and that is okay given my goals. I believe that a pond full of yellow bass would make for lots of fun ultra light fishing, and if what I've read about them is true considering how numerous they can come to be, then a pond full of them would be great food wise also. If or even if I can't find them, then I plan on stocking the pond with BG and FHM ( to raise forage for other ponds).
As far as possible sources, I figured maybe one of the sites that sales fish for aquariums might have them.

First off, is it legal to stock stripers in Kentucky?

Secondly, what else do you plan on stocking for them to eat? IE food chain. Most people stock the forage first and let it get established first, then they stock the predators.

Third, how big/deep is the pond, how is the water quality?

Lastly, do you plan on doing the proper management for a small pond?

I couldn't find anything regulations against stocking them from Gane and Fish. Yellow bass (the state has even stocked them in lakes before, which I'm sure some people would find surprising) are native to part of the state and white bass are pretty common throughout. Stripers are stocked in a few places and hybrids are stocked in several places. I'm going to stock bluegill this fall and plan on putting in a pound or two or FHM this weekend (hoping they might still spawn this year). I'm just interested in seeing if there's a source online at the moment. The pond is around 1/4 acre or so and is around 8-10ft max. The pond remains clear, sits at an high elevation, is located in the woods, and ussually has slightly cooler water than my other ponds. As for water quality I'm not sure but I'm going to do a PH test this weekend. With the size of the pond harvesting would be the main means of controlling the population.

Do the yellow bass need running water to spawn? White bass generally do.

Hh23, I don't believe I've welcomed you yet, so, Welcome to the Forum.
I appreciate your out of the norm thinking, in this case, regarding trying a fish not necessarily held in high regard for ponds-yellow bass. And I totally relate to your consideration of the blast of ultra light or micro fishing for abundant, scrappy fish.
You probably have already answered the question in your mind of why yellow and not white bass for your pond.
You might find that over time the sluggish FHM cannot survive the predation of lots of yellows.
And, if your outflow from your new pond runs to other lower elevation BOWs, you may have already considered how to keep the yellows, including fry and fingerlings, confined to your top pond so they don't "contaminate" other ponds or streams.
If you don't find a source for purchased yellow, how about bucket stocking some from another Kentucky BOW?
I have no experience with yellow bass; do they taste as good as whites?
Good luck on this project, thanks for posting about it, and please keep us informed as you progress.
Roger

I believe they prefer running up small creeks to spawn when in lakes but according to what I've read they will spawn in lakes and ponds in gravel and sand and even silt. I guess they are more adaptable regarding spawning conditions than white bass.

Thank you for the welcome. I chose yellow bass instead of white because I don't believe that white bass would spawn in a pond, they seem to be less adaptable than do yellow bass concerning spawning conditions. I figure bluegill would be the main source of forage but FMH's would make a nice supplement while they lasted. Concerning the outflow of the pond- the pond is located on on top of a hill/mountian. The nearest stream is at the bottom of a valley. I would catch and transport some fish but from what I've read most of the yellow bass in the state are in the other half of the state. White bass are pretty common in my pet of the state in some waters but I've never caught a yellow bass. I may give it a try though. As far as eating, I've never ate a yellow but I keep reading about how good they are to eat. Thank you for your suggestion.

Yellow bass in a pond likely won't get big enough to eat. They get barely eating size in big waters, and are widely considered a trash fish. Hybrid striped bass would be much preferable, on a put and take basis.

What about yellow perch? They will spawn in a small pond and you can control their numbers with catching them your self. I love perch and have had them for four years now and not made my self sick on them.... yet.

I'm only looking for them to get 5-6 inches. I've thought about putting HSB in my largest pond, this one is too small.

Yellow perch was my first option, but sadly it's illegal to stock them here even though they live in part of the state.

Can you provide a link showing where Kentucky prohibits stocking them in a private pond?

I can't provide a link, but I can pair a picture of an email I sent to the Game and Fish department. I couldn't find anything in the Internet as to what species are illegal to stock in Kentucky.
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We have yellow bass here in Caddo lake where there is little current. We fish for them using plastic baby craws 1" size, bumping them on bottom. A 7"er is a big one. I think they taste better than the white bass and have no red meat. The meat of the yellow is sweet tasting. Also shaped like the lmb could swallow them much easier than the bg. But my concerns would be how they reproduce in ponds. I am thinking they might produce too many yoy and might overtake a small pond. I am no Xpert when it come to Yellow Bass, but I thought I would pass along my experience with them. If they were not so good eating I would not fool with them when fishing. And we catch them mostly in Dec when the water is colder.

Tracy

Good to know, thanks!!!

Noted it said waters of the commonwealth, does that mean private waters on private land. In Florida it private property water is not considered state waters....

You'd think that would be the case everywhere, but I doubt it here because the game and fish website also states that you are required to follow state regulations in private and public waters.