Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Feeding Forage fish: sunfish vs redear sunfish?

two things:

Where is the table for acronyms...I'm getting confused.

I found a list of fish farms in Michigan--don't know yet before I call all of them who is still current. (looks like what they are licensed for, not what they are selling)

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mda/mda_aquaculture_192478_7.pdf

Go to Common Pond Q&A (archives) and look about 4 threads down from the top.

See this for sunfish.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92482#Post92482

Bennie, I've seen that list before, I didn't find much that was helpful for me (I called some of them) but I did look in my documents and found this article that I forgot about: Redear Sunfish Management in Michigan

In the article it says:

"Temperature and latitude tolerances reported
by Twomey et al. (1984) were derived largely
from data obtained during the 1950s and 1960s
(or earlier). Those studies indicated that
growing seasons = 180 frost-free days are
optimal for the species. However, fish surveys
have shown that several redear sunfish
populations in Michigan have thrived for the
past 40 years in areas having an average of only
150 to 160 days of frost-free growing season
(Table 1; Figures 1 and 2) (Eichenlaub et al.
1990)."

The Table and Figures show where RES have been successfully raised in MI. I'm going to try the RES at Imlay City FF and hope for the best.

Last night I calculated the total of my upcoming order and it was < $150. I want to start slow, extremely slow in my initial stocking as fishing isn't my primary goal. I do appreciate your post though because maybe they would let me meet them somewhere closer if they have a run scheduled to MI sometime. Free delivery for over $200 sounds good! Their RES are less expensive but they're higher on the other fish that I want. They have a lot of stuff!!!

When you buy RES in MI make sure that they are not selling you pumpkinseed sunfish. I think it is a good idea to ask where the fish came from - home grown or purchased from another hatchery. Keep in mind that you may not get a truthful answer. Many hatcheries often buy their RES from southern suppliers. I would be interested to hear the answers.