Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Florida bass in NC

Curious if it's worth it for me to change the genetics in my pond and how practical it would be? I have bass that were already in the pond when I purchased it a few years ago. I'm already noticing a huge difference with supplemental feeding the BG as well as harvesting small bass. Largest bass caught to date is 5 lbs, not too shabby for me. I have four ponds, but the one in question is 1.7 acres the others are all 1/4 acr, 1/4 and 1/2 acre. Still haven't decided what to do with those ponds. Anyway, curious if adding a Florida strain bass which I've read get bigger would be worth it and is it possible to add them rather than do a fish kill and start over (don't really want to do since have been working on pond already for a few years to better it). Would I be able to ID a Florida bass from my existing LMB when I catch them so I can make sure not to harvest the Florida bass to try to better grow their genetics in the pond?

Or is it not worth it and should I be happy with what I've got/not practical?

The biggest question is what part of NC are you in? If you're in the coastal areas or southern piedmont, the FL LMB should do well. If not stick with the bas you have or maybe consider F1's. You need to source larger fish, say 8"+. FL LMB are not reliably distinguishable from northern LMB except via DNA testing. My recommendations would be stock the larger fish, tag them with tags and remove as many if not more pounds of bass from your pond as you add. I'd stock pure FL bass and let them cross with your native LMB to produce F1's, but you can certainly stock F1's as well.

Central NC/Piedmont of NC. I assume then I have Northern's right now probably?

Most likely... You are at the absolute maximum north FL LMB would possibly do well. How often does your pond freeze over?

Flas managed to live ok in central Okla. but did not reach their full potential. I would go with northerns and a few F-1s (20%) from a hatchery that has fish acclimated to your area.

You can have your genetics tested at Auburn with a fin clip. F1s as suggested would be worth trying for sure. We had F1s do well in Lexington, ky while the coppernose died out.

We have F1's stocked in a very ponds in Central Oklahoma. Both ponds did not have a good forage. One of the ponds, before winterkill, had F1's up to 5 and 6 pounds. Winterkill was caused by the pond being iced over for four days. Lack of oxygen killed everything in it.