Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Need Help - Wild Fish Contamination from Stream

Sunil - presence of LMB probably go a long way to helping keep invasive or undesirable species [BH, Carp, etc.] population managed - do you think?

My thought is:

Any BOW with access to another fishery [your stream fishery, in this case] whether it's through the inflow or outflow will have eventually have those foreign species "invade" your fishery. Some species can cause some undesirable results. BH, Carp, BG, CC, White Perch, Crappie could all negatively impact a WE, YP, SMB fishery. Not saying the fishery will be a total loss, but WE, YP and SMB can't keep up with a reproducing population of BG, BH, etc. and you may eventually be facing management issues with the invasive species.

If you have to plan on unwanted diversity for your fishery you should consider having some non discriminatory apex predators present to help manage the fishery. LMB can keep invasive species population managed, but would impact your SMB, WE and YP populations too through competition and predation. YP and WE fusiform nature would lend them to be very easily targeted by LMB, and SMB do not compete well with LMB. If you are willing to supplementally stock your desirable/intended species [WE, YP, SMB] at advanced sizes to escape LMB predation - this can work. You'd still have diversity, but chances improve the LMB will manage the invasive species.

If the BOW will receive irrigation in the form of stream water or if there's a risk of flooding you might be better off going with a LMB, BG, RES pond from the beginning. Sunil has success with multiple species but believe he must supplementally stock to achieve those results? If you aren't into that kind of investment, and want to stock once and let it flourish, you're probably better off going with the LMB/BG/RES fishery.