Cire9 � Wasn�t I right?? Didn�t Bill provide great information?
I am most struck by his comment about small ponds. I have NEVER tried a largemouth bass-yellow perch combination in a pond as small as yours. I�d say we almost always have at least 2-3 acre ponds when we have evaluated this combination. Stocking rates will depend on the combination of fishes you choose.
If you really want perch to eat, I wonder about trying the perch-only stocking, and going with supplemental feeding?? Bill wrote a nice article on this in a magazine called Farm Pond Harvest. I�ll bet he would send you a copy if you gave him your address?
Brian: You didn�t say how big your pond was. However, a corrective stocking of 40 8-12 inch LMB per acre should quickly remedy your perch overpopulation, and they will get back on top of the bullheads eventually. They primarily thin the young (first year) bullheads, so it may take a little time. However, the bullheads are very vulnerable to bass predation.
Most people are surprised that yellow perch are so resistant to winterkill. Their tolerance for low dissolved oxygen in the winter really is only surpassed by northern pike and fathead minnows.
Dave
