Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Help me stock my pond.

I have a dugout pond in Central Alabama. I am renovating it and its finished size will be about 1/2 acre. It is currently about 2/10. Three years ago I put in 10 pounds of FHM (mostly just so that my daughter could see something living in there). I had no plan. I was thinking that I would do CC only, but could be convinced otherwise now that the pond will be considerably larger. What would you do if this were yours?

What would I do if it were mine... humm... all the possibilities.. wait, it's actually yours!

What are your goals? What do you want to see out of your perfect pond? I hate catfish. (is that too strong a word?) They'd never make it near my pond unless somehow one was accidentally stocked and then I'd be furious (long story). But since it's your pond, we'll help you with ideas for your perfect pond.

Going to fish it much? For fun, or food? How much to you want to manage it? Like bass? big bluegill? or just the yummy catfish? Want some diversity of fishing for the kids? Pond is big enough to do lots of things.

I might have different goals for "my" pond, so we might not see eye to eye. I want a pond that is attractive to wildlife, but I can still have easy access to fish. I want a balanced pond, that won't take intensive management, with the exception of a feeder. I don't keep every fish that I catch, but I enjoy a fish dinner.

I'd have the typical LMB/BG/CC mix, with the emphasis on BG/LMB with the understanding that the CC is a put-n-take fishery. I'd make sure that I have enough snag free structure ready to go into the pond before I start renovating, so that when the pond is done the structure can go in ASAP and not have to worry about getting caught by a good rain & no structure (fighting that now).
I'd also have a plan in place for covering/planting the bare soil ASAP around the pond to reduce the erosion.

esshup,

I think my strategy seems to be somewhat like yours. I am not a huge fisherman. This pond project was more about aesthetics and something to do with my small children. For some reason, I have it stuck in my mind that LMB/BG are time consuming and difficult to manage. Are there ponds out there that do well as a mix of CC and BG without the bass?

Nateforau:

I'll leave the BG/CC only pond question to the experts. I don't think a LMB/BG pond is difficult to manage at all if you are managing for fishing pleasure and not trophy fish.

With little ones around, and you in the renovation process, what slopes are you shooting for on the banks of the pond?

For smaller ponds with limited management, I like the idea of channel cats and hybrid bluegill. Both have limited recruitment but you will need a feeder.

I am shooting for between 2:1 and 3:1 on the approach to the pond from the house. It slopes down from the lawn. It might be slightly steeper on the back side of the pond.

If it was my pond, and I had little ones, I'd shoot for 3:1 or 4:1. the softer the slope the better - easier walking up/down, and less problems with erosion. (if planting grass, easier to mow as well!)

Nateforau, it's great that you are thinking about these things now instead of later.

Just a side thought that you might really start to enjoy the fish aspect of the pond more once you get immersed in the whole process of stocking the fish, seeing them grow, throwing out feed and watching them eat, having your kids and friends be able to fish on your own private property, etc., etc.,....

The swimming aspect is great also.

What you are doing is creating a generational legacy, and there will be some of the future generations who end up loving the world of ponds that you show them.

Much of the management of LMB/BG/CC can be done by hook and line. If it never ends up interesting you, it is never hard to find a few friends or kids to help!

Don't name the fish.

Unless you name them after people you don't like.