Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations After 2 yrs of setbacks

Bob-O:

Welcome to the world of SMB-YP-RES, the so-called "Brettski Option." I am stocking a similar scheme in a new pond this year. My plan is FHM, Gambusia, and adult pellet-trained RES this Spring (May-ish), followed by fingerling YP and SMB this Fall (I'm keeping my fingerlings crossed wrt SMB availability). You have several issues here; I am only going to tackle the one I am even remotely coherent on - the stocking plan.

I think the food supply in a newly filled pond in NE OR OH will be pretty minimal in March. March stocking may be feasible if you feed the forage fish. I don't know the minimum water temp for FHM (surface) feeding, but IME GSH (you are talking Golden Shiners, right?) will feed just about anytime there is surface water open.

Fatheads start to spawn about 60 deg F and GSH at about 70-72 deg F, so it will be a while before either species starts producing additional forage. If you stock YP large enough to spawn this year (7"+, IIRC), 1) they will have to go in shortly after ice-off (are they commercially available that early?) and 2) they will easily be able to eat adult FHM. If you can get feed-trained YP, or YP from a population that has been pellet fed for several generations (Dr. Perca himself, Bill Cody, indicates a much higher % of such perch take pellets) they will do much better at living on fewer FHM; otherwise you may need to up the # of FHM stocked to feed the YP.

Skipping ahead a year or so is possible with some stocking schemes, but is always more expensive to do right. Something to consider wrt limited moolah like you, me, and Cecil.

P.S. Cody should approve of having a YP spawn before stocking SMB.