Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Smallmouth expedition and planting

I picked up 400 smallmouth bass fingerlings today in Gobles, Michigan from Laggis Fish Farms. He said they were 3 to 4 inches but they are really 4 to 5 inches. (No complaints there). 16 buckets with 25 fish in each, inside bags of mostly oxygen. 200 I picked up for another party that couldn't make it to fish pick up today. About an hour and a half drive before planting for the other party and another half hour for me. Fish seemed fine and not piping. I picked up some feed also and would not have been able to fit in another bucket!

Here's a few pics:

Here's one of them. Hard to get a clear picture if the fish does not want to stay still!



Here is some in the bag just before planting into the cage.



Here is a family of cages I have now have off the pier in the biggest pond. The first cage is the 200 four to five inch feed trained smallmouth. The next one is about 250 4 to 6 inch Bordello bluegills, followed by about 350 5 to 8 inch yellow perch in the next cage with some smaller Bordello bluegill. The last cage is about 250 8 inch plus male and female yellow perch. My largest 9 inch plus female perch are free swimming in the pond as are the largest male bluegills up to over a 1 lb.

Wow! That's quite a setup, Cecil. How big is the pond and is it already stocked with those same species?

Todd,

The pond is .62 acres (150 X 200 ft.) and was drained and refilled this spring. No smallmouths at this time other than those that are in the cage. Once they are about 10 inches I will liberate them all and make no effort to only plant one sex in the pond.

As indicated only other free swimming fish are female perch (faster growing and get the largest of the two sexes), and male bluegills.

Oh yes there are thousands of fatheads in the pond. I use them to provide some sustenance over the winter to keep the fish in good condition.

Makes me feel all nice inside.

Nice job Cecil. Keep us updated on their growth.

Can do. From past experience it's comparable to the largemouth I put in cages. However getting them in the fall vs. the largemouth in the spring is a disadvantage as there is no growth in winter.

Cecil:

Speaking about growth in cages, what size were the BCBG that you put in the cage this Spring, and what size are they now? How many did/do you have in the cage? It's 4'x4' correct?

Wow. Great project! Sounds like it's going to turn into a really nice fishery and SMB are certainly a blast to catch!

I've had them before and got them up to about 3 lbs. before I harvested them. However before I also has a lot of feed trained largemouths. This time there will be no largemouths in the mix.

Good stuff Cecil, thanks for keeping us in the loop...

BCBG? Most likely Bordello bluegills as I put some of mine in with the Condello broodstock bluegills.



I think they started out as 3 to 4's. I don't know for sure the size right now as I haven't taken any out and measured them. The last time I removed three to show an aquaculture group they floated up a couple days later most likely due to the warm water. I will tell you they are eating 5D05 with no problems.

If they are typical I should have 6 to 7 inch fish by the end of the growing season. Very robust in appearance too.

Cecil

Could you share some info on your experience with the hatchery for the SMB? If you'd prefer it would be nice to know if they will ship and their pricing. I'm in dire need of SMB and am exploring my options with hatcheries/pricing/etc.

thanks!

Yep, that's what I meant. Thanks.

I think that is from the beer you finished just before you made this post.

Cecil,

Three things come to mind:

1. Small mouth green carp?

2. I'd hate to see what your BISA dues are going to be.

3. You never cease to amaze me at what you accomplish. You have more experience in raising different species of fish than 94.2% of the membership of this forum. And the HUGE difference for you is that this is your vocation so you have so much more at stake. I realize that this is all obvious but I excel at pointing out the obvious.

In summation I'd like to say....

"We're not worthy!!!!"

Either/Or.

This is not to cause dissension, but did these smallies have any yellow tails?

It' tought to see in the one picture.

"It's people like you, what cause unrest."

Laggis Fish Farm Inc.
8988 35th St.
Gobles, MI 49055
269-628-2056

I don't know if he air ships but he does haul some to other fish suppliers in other states. Perhaps to a supplier closer to you? The price was a little salty at $2.90 each.

They are a lesser evil than bigmouth green carp. And I have a customer that will pay well for large live specimens. My market for largemouths was not cost effective as the customer that wants large smallmouths can easily get big largemouths. My fast growing largemouths with small heads and fins were not a big hit with other taxidermists. Just didn't look right to them. Plus they wanted really big specimens like over 7 lbs., which even though the heads and fins look more normal on large older fish like that it, takes too long to grow them that size even if they are faster growing than their wild counterparts. Additionally the smallmouth are not as aggressive at feeding time as was my experience with the other green carp. The other green carp were such bullies the yellow perch and bluegills didn't feed as well as they could of, even the yellow perch and bluegills were large enough not be a prey item.





I wish!

Thanks Cecil!

I did not see tri-colored tails (yellow) with these Sunil. I'm thinking if they did have them it was when they were smaller? If I talk to the producer again I'll ask him.

TJ,

Sorry just thought of this and don't want to be a downer but:

One obstacle you may run into is Nebraska requires testing for for SVCV for the importation of all live fish. That's a virus called Spring Viremia that mainly affects carp but has been know to effect other species.

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/spring_viremia_of_carp.pdf


http://www.ncrac.org/Info/StateImportRegs/nebraska.htm

I could be wrong but I doubt Dan tests his fish for this as Nebraska is the only state I'm aware that requires testing of non carp species for this. But like I said I could be wrong. Wouldn't hurt to call.

YOY Smallmouth Bass


YOY Spotted Bass


Note the TRI-COLORED tail. Black, orange and white...

too cool!