Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Forage base for Channel Catfish pond

In a 1/4 acre catfish pond, I put in 50, 4 - 6 inch CC in the spring. I have a healthy population of minnows. I feed by hand, infrequently, maybe once a week average. So do I need to add (larger) forage as the catfish develop?

Perhaps establish CNBG this fall before the catfish get too large?

Gator

How big are the CC now, Gator? I don't think they're aggressive enough as predators to present a difficulty establishing a forage base like LMB would.

BG/CNBG would IMHO spawn more than needed for CC forage. How about RES and/or GSH? A lot really depends on what else you might like to do with the pond.

Try this exercise: Look at "How Many Ponds do I Want?" and answer that question for yourself. Then look at all the answers and see which 2 or 3 you may be able to manifest in the 1/4 acre CC pond.

The CC average 8" right now.

This is a kids pond/close to the house - so we generally walk down and "feed the fish".

Any type of panfish would be fine with me. Sounds like I can expect an over population with CC as the only preeditor?

Gator

Gator I would suggest FH and Gams and small craws if you can find them cheap and about 100 HBG and feed them. CC are not to effective on BG over about 4 in. unless the CC are big.


SRAC 180 Channel Catfish: Life History and Biology
http://srac.tamu.edu/tmppdfs/13368258-180fs.pdf?CFID=13368258&CFTOKEN=55965508

ewest,

Thanks for the input and your answer gets to the heart of my question: When will the CC's outgrow the minnows and require a larger forage base for optimal growth?

Then in the context of that question, what should I add to the pond to sustain the CC's?

Gator

As the CC get to that size take them out and eat them and add a few small ones. Same for HBG. That plus some feed and you can have a nice put and take fishery.