Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain would like to get this 1/2 acre pond going!

jb. I prefer BillD's suggestion. Southern ponds often have a higher BG:LMB ratio for stocking - often 10:1. Northern ponds usually have lower BG:LMB ratios of 5:1 or lower. It depends on goals and location. 250 gills and 50 LMB, maybe 300-400 gills but in your situation I prefer 250 gills w/ the 3 or 4 lbs of fatheads. Stock gills & fatheads in spring then bass in fall. Lets examine this a little.
Remember you have 1/2 acre.
Are you fertilizing? Keep in mind that this is dangerous & risky in IN, IL, OH, PA, MI. It can easily produce filamentous algae and weeds in the north if you are not an expert and experienced. Fertilizing modifies these details.

1. point 1. fatheads will spawn in May June and spawning will taper off somewhat in July August. Gills will grow fast eating fathead fry, insect larvae and zooplankton. Gills could be 6"-7"by fall. Stock 2-4" bass in fall and they will feed heavily on surplus fatheads production & even get little growth and be fat going into winter which will greatly help your winter bass survival. 3-5" Bass (spring 2004) w/ heavy forage will be 10"-12" (few maybe 13") in fall of 2004. I do not recommend southern raised bass for you. Use northern raised/strain LMB.

2. point 2. Your pond IF ideal and really fertile will supprt 100lb of bass per acre 50lb/0.5ac). If you stock 100 bass & all survive they will theor. grow to 0.5 lb each. 100x0.5lb=50 lb. Then bass carrying capacity is reached. Not much room for bass growth unless some are removed.

But stock 50 bass & if all survive can theor. grow to 1 lb each. 25 Bass can grow to 2 lb each. See? Which would you prefer?
3. point 3. 50 bass is probably the better choice because the bass added in fall of 2003 in IN will not spawn until spring of 2005. You will need a strong young bass (3"-5")crop in spring of 2004 to thin the 2004 spawn from gills. You will need to thin the bass somewhat once 50 get to around one pound so they do not run short of food/forage. Keep an eye on this and availability of forage for guidence of any need for bass removal. As noted above bass at end of 2004 should be 10"-13" long.

ALTERNATIVE. Stock 1-3" gills & LMB together with fatheads (now 10-15 lbs) spring 2003. Fatheads will spawn and bass will grow fairly quick to 5"to 6" and then have ALL the fatheads, including breeders, eaten. LMB will run out of food esp if more than 50. Your refuge areas for fatheads, as noted above are minimal to almost nonexistant. Fatheads are real slow swimmers. Gills will help thin fathead fry and insect larvae. LMB basically grinds to a halt since no baby gills are present to feed them. You go into winter & spring 2004 with 5"to 7" bass and a short food supply until July-Aug'04' when baby gills enter the food chain. Bass might grow another 1"-2" by fall of 2004 (7"-9").

If you buy "pellet raised bass" 3"-4"or (4"-5") spring'03' they can eat fatheads & you can supplimentarily feed them all summer 2003 and have 10" to 12" (12"-14")LMB and 5" to 8" gills by end of 2003. Feeding pellets works.

These are the basics, you decide which method is best for you.