Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose 1/2 Acre Stocking Plan Opinions Wanted

So my pond is inching closer to full and I am getting an itchin to start stocking.

Here is where I'm at on things right now. This may not be a good plan but I'd like suggestions. The pond will be a little less than 1/2 acre and about 7-8 ft deep max (I know this is a little shallow, but I wasn't working with the best area). I have plans to feed as soon as possible, and aeration will not be for a few years (no power on site).

Stocked this spring -

Supplier #1 (Cheaper and closer but less selection)
300 - 1-3" BG
125 RES 1-3"
2000 FHM

Stocked in Spring 2013
20 LMB
20 CC

Supplier #2 (Free Delivery and much larger selection but also more expensive on all species)
300 2-4" BG (or 150 4-6" BG ok?)
125 2-4" RES
5lb FHM
5lb GS (Golden Shiner)

Stocked in Spring 2013
20 3-4" LMB
20 3-5" Albino CC
10 3-4" HSB

I can do a mixture of any of the above as well (this years stocking from #1 and next years from #2).

My pond for all who like pics.

What are your goals for the fishery? Balanced, leaning towards the sunfish, or leaning towards bass? Which fish farm do you really believe has the best fish? Regardless of price, I'd go with them...

I would work very hard to get an aeration system installed within 3-4 years, sooner is better, as your asking for a fish kill if not...

In my opinion, 5 pounds of GSH in a half acre pond is too many, no matter what your goals are. I'd keep it around 1-2 pounds of brooder sized GSH and stock them when you stock fingerling, 2"-4" LMB if your goal is for a LMB leaning pond. If your goal is towards sunfish, leave them out.

With regards to the fish farms, the first is Andry's Fish Farm in Birdseye Indiana an the other is Jone's Fish Farm out of Cincinnati Ohio. I have heard good things about both places actually.

I am leaning more towards a large bluegill pond myself, but I wouldn't mind catching a nice bass or catfish every now and then. I thought the HSB would add a bit of change to the normal BG/LMB farm ponds that are more often around here.

I can see your point on the GSH, as they are just an extra food source to jump start some LMB growth after the FHM are wiped out (although I will have some pallet structure in hopes that I can keep some around).

If you want to grow good sized sunfish which is a far more reasonable goal than to grow nice bass in a 1/2 acre pond, then I would stock 5 pounds of FHM now. Next spring stock 50 3"-4" LMB, 300 3"-4" BG and 50 3"-4" RES. The albino CC and HSB numbers are dependent on your desire. I wouldn't stock more than 5-15 per year of each leaning closer to the lower number. No need to stock any GSH unless you want to grow larger bass, then stock the GSH around 1-2 pounds when you stock the bass and sunfish. These numbers and timing of the stockings should produce quality panfish, with a few of the original stocker bass reaching decent sizes but most bass will top out around 1 pound.

Thanks again CJBS2003! Do you have any input on size (2-4", 4-6", 6-8") and amount of each bluegill? Several family member want to fish immediately, but I've told them it would be a while until they are good sized.

Thanks!

If you stock larger sunfish, stock larger bass too... It will speed up the time it takes for the pond to be fishable but will obviously be more expensive. Stock fewer BG if you stock bigger fish, but I'd keep the LMB numbers about the same.

I've had good luck with Andry's, but a neighbor wasn't happy with the RES he bought from them. I didn't see the fish myself, but he claimed they were all around 1" long. Since these were added to an existing, already stocked pond, he was sure they became a snack for his Bass...

And he was probably right.

CJBS2003 - Do you have an amount I should stock for each size if I do go bigger?

sprkplug - I am probably just going to get some FHM from them in all reality. There sizes are quite small (and I am sure they are on the small end of the scale).

Went out there today to mow some grass and get some pallets in the water and we have lots of frogs and a turtle in the pond already. Also saw a streamlined ripple go across the top of the water and I hope that was a water bug of some sort. There's a pond next door and I hope no one decided to drop one of those fish in it.

Cut sunfish numbers back by 20%the or so...

I see those ripples occasionally that were caused by wind.

I see those little ripples on my pond too and every time I see one I look and never see a fish making it. I get a lot of wind and believe that, like esshup stated, that the wind causes them.
Good luck and good fishing,
Dan

The sunfish should like the fatheads as well.