Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Time to think predators

Is your pond is anything like the rest of the hilly, rocky VT countryside I've been lucky enough to visit? If so, I'm thinking you have no shortage of granite, boulder fields, crushed rock, etc. Can you provide some photos of your pond or at least fill us in on the details? Water clarity? Any ideas of max summer temps? Spring fed or is your watershed major water source?

I am thinking if you have a rocky environment in your pond, you have a great chance for establishing a SMB population and they could thrive with a strong crayfish forage base which will love the rocky structure. I think you stand a great chance of getting reproduction, too.

I feel your YP stand a great chance of reproduction if you're willing to add some pvc structure for their egg strands. The local hatchery who supplies my YP actually says he pulls spawns annually with absolutely no structure whatsoever - and claims they even spawn in his raceways. Not sure how reliable that info is - I'd try to add something in the way of spawning structure to be safe. Remember, if you pellet feed your YP will utilize pellets to a large degree - and you can get your SMB feed trained, too.

Crayfish won't feed your SMB and YP solo - they go through different stages of availability, so you need an ancillary forage source. GSH are a solid choice, and I think you could get a self sustaining population given some habitat and robust initial stocking efforts.

If your pond is all rock and is devoid of aquatic vegetation, you may be able to entertain stocking PS or BG. Dr Willis has stated in ponds dominated by predators with limited gape [SMB or YP] panfish populations may be managed given pond characteristics of steep sides and little vegetation. Basically, the YOY panfish have no where to hide, like hunting in a bathtub for the SMB and YP. Easy pickins.

I won't go on, even though I'd like to! Before we go further we need to know more about your ponds. Let us know everything you can so we can tailor the advice.