Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose HSB for bullhead control

It sounds to me that the bullheads in this pond are kind of a short bonus from the sounds of things. The pond contained no predator fish when I started. However it contained so many forage fish and "trash fish" the only logical conclusion was to add LMB. I would like to see HSB in the pond and I believe there is enough forage fish to not pellet feed for a few years. Will HSB accept pellets a few years down the road if not or occasionally fed pellets?
I would like to see the mass weight of forage fish accually go down some what before going back to a feeding program.

The pond contains Golden shiners, GS, 20 stocked blue catfish, 50 11-12" LMB, white crappie, 300 stocked BG, 50 redear sunfish, 5lbs fathead minnows,and yellow belly bullhead. I am figuring on possibly 15 - 25 HSB of the largest size available to stock this fall. If any one has any ideas to help please feel free to jump in. The pond is 1 acre @ 9 ft average depth and heavily aerated.

I will add that many of the "trash fish" are well under control now but the bullhead are not.

I welcome all the information I can get even the great "mad scientists".........

AaronhomeIN, you bring up a tidbit that I've always wondered about. Do the dynamics of bullhead populations vary between black, brown and yellow bullheads?

Norm -- good question, but I'm afraid that there might not be much information. There is a moderate amount of information available on black bullheads, you can find a little on browns in the lake states, and there is almost nothing on yellows. You've heard me say before that we can never say never, or never say there is "nothing available." However, I sure haven't run into much. As you know, SD has lots of blacks, and more yellows than I had originally known. No browns to the best of my knowledge.