Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain HSB or Walleye?

We currently have an 8 acre pond in southeast Nebraska. We have had a few problems with shad and I talk to the Fish and Game Commissioner about this and he recommended adding walleye or HSB. What would be my best bet and what do I need to support either of these species.

What is in the pond now ?

You may not have to choose one or the other.

Our fish population consists of channel catfish, Bluegill, green sunfish, common carp, freshwater drum, largemouth bass,white crappie, and gizzard shad.

One option is to enhance the LMB numbers, they are good predators on the existing fish including shad. HSB will be a good addition since they inhabit primarily open water where young shad are common and hang out most of their lives. IF you can find 8" HSB then stock 15-20 per acre. Percent survival of smaller HSB will be less if you stock smaller than 8". IMO HSB along with strong numbers of LMB will help control young shad compared to using WE. Large bass of 19+" will prey on the 8"-9" g shad. Lagre numbers of gshad can be a problem in ponds. Others will provide other options.

Bill is right. You can however add some adult WE as a bonus fish in addition.

Could we add both? Which will be more effective and cost efficient?

Hey Cottonwood, I like your handle - and a late welcome to the forum to a fellow Cornhusker.

Our friend Rob North of us has HSB and WE but it's not as easy as dumping hundreds of fingerlings and expecting a population to establish. Eric and Bill are experts - pay careful attention! My two cents - I think HSB would be a great addition, but you'd be best served to buy them early in the year cheaply, cage, and grow them out to at least 8" to help them escape predation. Rob also has WE each fall up to 8". If I had your resident fishery I would hesitate to add WE at that size - instead I would grow them out to at least 12-14" on a diet of minnows, waxies, crawlers or whatever you can source easily. Supplementally stocking fisheries with LMB present is always a challenge, but it can be done if you're willing to grow out your fish to help ensure survival.

Feel free to reach out to me I can help you source fish from local hatcheries and provide some advice that's worked for me in SE NE [Lincoln] as I too have WE and HSB fishery in my 3 ac BOW.

Go Huskers!