JoeP - You could stock only YP and LMB and skip BG for the spring stocking. However, if I was doing it, I would adjust the stocking schedule; others my have additional opinions. I contribute several comments:
1. I have never had good long term success with producing ample numbers of large yellow perch (YP 8"-12") when stocked with LMB in ponds less than one acre (esp if pond is relatively weed free). In local ponds of my area the LMB have always outnumbered, out produced, over crowded the pond and over ate the perch. YP recruitment of YP was minimal at best. YP were not able to maintain good numbers of 5"-7" perch that grew to fill the void when the larger perch were harvested or died of old age. The 10"-15" LMBass always over-cropped the 3"-6" perch. The 16"-18" bass will be eating your 8" perch.
2. Dr. Willis in S.Dakota has had pretty good luck of using YP with LMB in larger ponds with some natural submerged vegetative cover.
3. IMO if you are interested in producing a good YP fishery (at least initially) consisting of a good number of 10"-12" YP, I suggest that you first stock minnows and fingerling perch or minnows in spring and two or three sizes of YP in the fall (2"-4", 4"-6", 6"-8"). Allow the perch to spawn at least once before the bass are added. Bass will then feed on the abundant group of fingerling YP and minnows. Minnows will disappear first, soon after the bass are added or soon after the first spawn of bass. Minnows (FHM) will not have the ability to withstand predation of both YP and LMB. Thus adding minnows first and allowing the perch to get the initial benefit will be the best plan for quickly producing at least an initial crop of larger perch.
4. I suspect that after 3 to 5 years you will see the annual growth rate decline of perch and probably the bass due to crowding and lack of forage fish. At that point you may want to add a sunfish (BG or pumpkinseed) to the pond for additional forage items. FHM do not withstand just YP predation well; let alone predation including LMB.
5. Put and take trout stocking should not be a problem with the YP bass combo unless the bass are larger than 18" or if the trout are only 4"-6" long when stocked. Best size for trout for put and take stocking with average sized bass present would be 10"-12" or 12"-14".
6. I have discovered that stocking just male BG in a situation such as yours is a good way to have some bonus big BG fishing with none of the problems of over population of the BG. With your LMB present if you make a mistake and add a female BG that will not be a huge mistake since the bass and larger YP will help control the BG offspring.
Come back often to let us know how the pond is progressing.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/02/08 08:19 PM.
