Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Raising Fathead minnows & Golden shiners

I know i dont know what im doing but it seemed like a fun thing to try this summer. I went to Todd Overtons over the weekend and bought a bunch of fish. I bought 8 pounds of GS & 8 pounds of FHM. Im trying the blocking net theory. I bought sien nets from Janns Netcrafter and set them up in a cove part of my pond. I put in T-post about every 4 feet and then zip-tied the top of the net to the T-post and then zip-tied T-post longways on the bottom of the nets and anchored them to the bottom, seems pretty sturdy. Its about 50ft wide and 50ft long. 3 to 4 foot deep. I noticed lots of little frogs and what looked like dragonfly larva floating on the top. Has some filamatageous algea and coontail in it. Not alot. Im gonna start feeding pellets today. Im trying to grow forage from my LMB and HSB. So what do yall think? Am i smoking crack or what? Any input from the pondmiesters would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Jesse

FHVF, here's a video I took yesterday of FH getting frisky in my pond. I hope to find a polarized filter for my camera to address the glare problem.

GW you captured on film 2 male FH's competition for a place/area to nest.

Yes the blocking net method works. I have had success repeatedly doing so. There is an article in PB mag on the subject.

Article by ewest about use of blocking nets is in the Jan-Feb 2007 issue of PBoss mag - pg 40 .

Oh! Thanks ewest.

Well i had 8 more dead ones on top of the water. I kept going down to the waters edge and looking for them and never see one. So i got out my throw net and pitch it in the middle and pull up a bunch so there still there. When will they spawn?

I can't say mine are spawning for sure, but they've been in spawning colors and behavior for the past several weeks. Water temps have been holding right around 60 degrees 2 ft. down. On sunny days they've been feeding heavily. I'm expecting the pitter patter of thousands of tiny little fins very soon.

Do you have pallets or anything floating in your pond for the FH to spawn under JHFV?

GW the movie you provided is a very strong indication that the FH are spawning. When those males start jockeying for a spot to call there own you can bet spawning is near.