Yep I am here.

jeffh welcome to the PB forum. I have used different size fish for stocking and growout purposes. I think it is a good idea for a number of reasons. But those reasons/conditions have to exist and you have to do it in a manner that is sound. I know that Bob Lusk has done so one some occasions where his client wanted an instant fishery and also on Richmond Mill Lake and others as a supplemental stocking event. I am fairly sure Todd and George use a bunch of larger fish for different purposes.

One thing that is key is to know for a fact that the fish are available and yours. You can't have a part of the program become a missing link because the fish are gone or aren't available. timing and knowledge of what you are getting is important.

When you use larger fish the stocking numbers go down but the cost per fish goes up.

You need to have some idea of what carrying capacity you will have. Is the water fertile or not , will you feed or not and how is the water quality.

Your fishing/pond goals are the first consideration.

A key to keep in mind is the size and productivity of the forage base vs. the predator numbers. For example it makes little sense to stock 2-3 and 4-5 in BG in April/May if you are right after that (June) going to stock 12in LMB. The forage base has to be able to survive and establish a sound basis first. I like to have at least one size of BG/forage too large to be preyed upon. For example if you are stocking 10in LMB some of the BG need to be adults (6-8in) and be put in March/April (pre-spawn) followed in June by the LMB. There are a lot of ways and methods which we can go over.

A common method for us is to stock a new pond with FH first, followed in early March with 80% of our $ in 2in BG/RES and 20% of our $ in 3-5in BG/RES , followed in June with 2in LMB at 50 % of the normal rate and 4-6in LMB in Sept at 15 per acre. I like to start out understocked on LMB.