HV

I just want to caution you on stocking the catfish -- from somebody who has a real love-hate relationship with these critters. Don't put in more each year than you figure you can take out the following year. They can become serious problems if they get too big -- probably above about 24 inches. And, the bigger they get, the more hook-shy they get, so they become difficult to catch.

EWEST can probably give the best numbers of fish to stock. But, start with the bluegill. Let them spawn a few times before adding anything else so you are starting with a good forage base.

When you stock the catfish, I would recommend no more than 20-25 in the 4-8 inch range. They grow very quickly. If you wait a little longer, to when your forage is well established, you can add 10-12 inch channel cats. They are quite inexpensive, even at that size.

Until you have a weed problem, I wouldn't worry about adding grass carp. If your pond edges have the right slope to discourage plant growth, you may never need grass carp. They too can become monsters in just a few years. Don't let the fish dealers tell you that you need 10-20 per acre. Think more about 2 or 3 in your size pond if you ever need them.


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