Welcome to PB. You have picked a hard path. Start by taking out half the LMB in the pond. Without BG you will have a big job. GShiners need plankton for their offspring to eat. While a small pond (< 1 acre) can support some GShiners I am not sure it can support enough to overcome the LMB onslaught with enough survival to establish an ongoing population. Prior info from Mark Cornwell (he is a prof of fisheries in upstate NY- contact him for help) among others suggests it will be difficult. PS may work but would likely have the same problem. Tilapia would work but you are too far north for that to be a full year answer.

My advice is take out at least half the LMB ( more would be better). Then stock 150 adult BG , 100 adult PS and 250 adult GShiners. All pre spawn. All 3 of those should be big enough to avoid much of the LMB predation (assumes no big LMB > 14 inches). All 3 of those will eat yoy LMB fry which is a goal. You will not be managing for those adult fish but will instead be managing for their offspring to attempt to achieve balance. If successful you will know by the # and size of the offspring over 2-3 years. You will want at the beginning for there to be heavy predation by the BG , PS and GShiners on the LMB yoy. After that manage for balance by harvest. Feeding would help.



Last edited by ewest; 12/10/10 03:37 PM.