Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Adding Forage for LMB

I put Tilapia in my pond last year, but didn't get around to it this year and I'm noticing some thin fish.

Is it too late to put some Tilapia in? The pond is near Canton, TX. They probably only have a couple months before it gets too cold for them. What about Golden Shiners or Threadfin Shad? Would either or both of those help?

I'm already taking out some fish, the smaller ones seem to be overpopulated. I'm hoping to put some weight on my larger fish.

Thanks for any input.

I read your other post. I would take out every LMB that was less than 14" that you catch. Typically you want to add TS right befor they spawn, so you get the benefit of them spawning. Does your pond have a good BG or CNBG population? BG or CNBG are typically the best forage for the majority of LMB. You can help that forage base by feeding them. Personally, for up here, I like both BG and GS (Golden Shiners) for LMB forage.

With the LMB in there, it will be hard to get a prey population established, many of the stocked prey will be eaten.

You will have faster results by removing LMB than by stocking forage, even quicker results by doing both. Tilapia will only survive down to 65 degrees water temp. I don't know what water temp they need to pull off a sucdessful spawn.

Rule of thumb, 10# of forage will put 1# of weight on ONE LMB. Now think of how many #'s of forage you'd have to stock......
That's why it's more effective to remove LMB.

EastTexasBassin,

A fishery survey would be invaluable at this point. With a fishery survey you would have a better idea as to how many bass to pull out. A combination of LMB harvest (as mentioned by esshup) and stocking tilapia will probably be the best for you. Stocking tilapia will keep the pressure off of other native forage.

Threadfin are hard to establish in a small lake, however tilapia as mouth brooders can do very well.

I would not stock the tilapia until next spring because you will get minimal results (metabolism goes down along with temperature).