Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Can I change my idea

History of my stocking plan
I have stocked may have lost a few due to the GBH
HBG 100
RES 50
CC 20 few left maybe 6-8 based on feeding
some gold fish that have populated very well
Grass Carp but havent seen one since stocking
millons of FHM

I have a 1/4-1/3 acre depending on the rains
I havent added any bass yet but want to.
Orginal idea was to have fish that kinda managed their selves without over populating without removal, which seems kinda boring or sparce in the terms that there doesnt seem to be very many fish in my pond.

It may seem weird I guess but I like to see surface activity, I realize that its been hot and they werent very active.

I guess my question, How much fish can I have in a pond my size?

And will northern yellow perch live in my pond,
this is all prompted because I received a post card from the local fish supplier stating that they were ready to start stocking for the fall. And I am ready to throw some fish in my pond.

Another case of Fishfarmegeddonitis, Dr. Sunil!

I'd think you still have some space and water quality left to allocate to more fish, given that the HBG breed minimally, the CC probably won't breed at all, and RES are the only Lepomis not noted for overpopulating. If you ONLY had HBG & CC, I wouldn't be afraid to add more up to a total of 250-350 HBG & 50-75 CC, if you plan on reducing the numbers of both species as the grow larger (burp).

With the reproducing RES present, I'd still feel OK adding another 100 HBG and maybe 25 CC, but if you want to change diections, stocking a predator now would spice things up and utilize those small RES and goldfish. If you still want (fairly) good numbers control, how about some HSB? They'd do great if fed some. Or if you want to shift to more of a reproducing species game, LMB and some regular BG.

Pick a strategy to discuss and we'll talk numbers.

P.S. I think you may be too far South for YP, but if you know your Summer water temps, that would allow a much more definitive answer.

I dont particully care if I have very many cc. I do want to keep those that I have and fatten them up.

I do need something that will eat the goldfish off spring they are getting upwards of 3 inch and smaller while the orginal stockers whats left of them are around 9"

Last I checked on the summer temp I think It was 88 at the surface but it got hotter yet and I didnt check.

I am building on a room addition to the house and it is keeping me so busy that I havent had a chance to work around the pond, weeds are grown up around it.

Since it is the season that I have waited for to stock I want to get some more, And I would like to try and get some HSB in there and would love to try the smallmouth but not sure if they would do well. My water quality I believe is excellent compared to a year or so ago and I think that I have healthy fish. My HBG I think are reaching 7" after tocking last year, I have been afraid to catch any to size them becasue it has been hot and the last time I tried I killed 2 of the 3 that I caught.