Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Stocking Questions

A pond can, depending on who you talk to, carry between (but not more) than 50 and 100 pounds of predators per acre. Of course this also considers the BG that prey on other smaller fish.

It seldom pays to stock larger fish. They seem to have trouble acclimating to new environments.

We also have to consider that the amount of water can vary. Rain just isn't all that dependable. I personally think that we need to stock and maintain the biomass of all fish at 2/3 the max rate. Call it insurance against a DO crash.

So, what do we/you call a trophy? Lets use 20 inches long as a trophy. That fish needs a continuous diet of 5 to 6 inch prey. Emphasis on the word continuous. If it ever makes it to 24 inches, its needs then shift to 6 to 8 inch prey. Once it has eaten the prey that is appropriate, it has to go for smaller prey. That isn't real efficient and it uses up too much energy for the calories it gets for all that work. It's own progeny are eating the prey before it gets large enough for the big girl that we want to grow. So, its own progeny keep us from really growing the trophy that we want.

What to do when you want a line buster in a smaller pond? Start with a feeder. If it were me, I would either stock a half dozen 8 to 10 inch HSB and use the feeder. They will still be a BG/GSF predator and help control the biomass. Or maybe 12 to 25 CC. There are always a couple of them that get so hook shy that they turn into line busters. Their spawn is almost always eliminated by the BG. Another possibility is 6 to 10 female only, feed trained bass. Along the way you have to not catch or harm them until they turn into true trophies.

You can obviously try other fish or combos but I think this is your best chance of raising trophies in a small pond.

If you want to really enjoy fishing, forget about trophies and just go for having fun.