Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking how large do BG need to be with 12" - 15" LMB

I have three or four 12" to 15" LMB in my 1/2 to 2/3 rds of an acre pond. I'm looking to add BG to my pond for forage production. How large do the BG need to be to not become lunch immediately? I have lots of smaller LMB in the 4" to 6" size range and some slightly larger. I'm not aware of anything larger in LMB. I also have Catfish, not sure which variety. I've seen twelve to eighteen 12" to 15" size range. Will they also look at the BG as lunch? What size should the BG be for them to survive and produce fry for future forage meals? How many should I stock? Should I split my stocking with larger BG and smaller BG for current lunch menus? Or would using other feeder fish satisfy the current menu for the LMB and Catfish? I hate the thought of paying bigger bucks for BG as current feeder fish when I can get cheaper feeder fish instead.

LMB will typically eat a fish 1/4 it's body length, but can also suck down 1/3 it's body length. Typically for a "standard" 1 ac pond, it's 10 to 20 BG to LMB, and it wouldn't hurt to swap 25% of those BG for RES if they will grow in your area. Depending on your goals for the pond, 50-100 LMB per acre (if you want to grow LMB larger quickly) or 200 LMB per acre (if you want to grow large BG and you have a feeding program in place). The RES will feed towards the bottom, and eat snails, which are part of the life cycle of some fish parasites. CC will eat BG too, but their mouth gape is small compared to a LMB of the same size.

GSH will do fine for forage for LMB. LMB can eat a fish about 1/2 it's length if the fish if fusiform in shape.

RES should survive in your area unless you're way up in the mountains.

I'm at 5,030 feet. In the few years I've been here, I've seen some rather cold temperatures with 10 below. But that was supposed to be an oddity. This past winter saw early below 0 temperatures early. But little to no snow. I was installing pond liner for my stream in the middle of january and february.

If you can get the RES, I'd try them. The other fish that acts like a RES and survives the colder winters is the Pumpkinseed. But, they are hard to find. FWIW, I'm in USDA Zone 5 and RES survive just fine.