Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations trophy bass

what is the ideal forage for my half acre pond and how many bass should i stock it will be ready this spring.

If trophy bass is goal on 1/2 acre pond you will have to do alot to promote productivity. Fertilize, aerate, supplemental feeding. In the SE I would say this, (in Ohio??) Stock 400 bluegill, 100 redear, 500 fathead minnows (2 lbs.)let them properly establish themselves. then stock only 25 F1 or northern bass fngerlings. LAter on look into stocking some shad species or golden shiner for additional forage.

greg, i am in ohio should i put my bluegill and fathead minnows in say april then my bass in sept. or oct. why not put shad in with the other forage? what is the best i can hope for out of this pond it is 240 ft long 125 ft wide 12ft at deepest spot.

Hosty, just got back in town. How big will the bluegill be in APril? You want them to be sexually mature when stocking fingerling bass. You need new little 1/4 fry for the young bass to eat. This means Stock at least a 2-3 inch fish and fertilize to promote their growth. You can stock the shad with the bluegill but just remember they are taking away some food form the bluegill so think about a feeding program as well. You can grow some bass in the pond that is 0.6 acres. The top end pounds maybe around 60 lbs of bass, so set your goals to determine how many big ones you want. Hope that helps and again hope my SE advice works in Ohio.