Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Spring additions

Hello.

I am starting to think about adding some spring additions to the pond. I stocked it last fall with the following:

20 Largemouth Bass
150 Hybrid Bluegill
20 Bluegill

I wanting to fish this summer with my two young children and I think I am going to need to add some additional fish to the pond to ensure adequate levels. Here is what I am thinking about:

2-3 gallons of fatheads
50 bluegill
10 more largemouth bass
75 redear sunfish

I was really wanting to add some yellow perch, but I am struggling with what the impact will be on the pond with them. The pond is 1/3 acre and 11 feet deep.

Thoughts and suggestions on my additions for the spring...

What sizes were your LMB and BG when you stocked them?

Omaha,

Hi. The LMB were about 6 inches when stocked and the bluegill were 4 inches on average I would say.

Are you feeding? Adding more could work if you have an automatic feeder running on the pond; if you're not feeding and you add that many more sunfish including the redear, you won't get much growth, if any, with any of the sunfish, and the bluegill might overpopulate (which is more of a problem where you live anyway than it would be in AL or GA, where the bass have a longer feeding season).

Which species is your primary focus, bluegill or bass? I would guess from the hybrid bluegill that you have some interest in catching large bluegill? If so, your stocking plan could work with a feeder, though the sunfish aren't going to grow as fast or as large as they would under less-crowded conditions.