If one regually fed the fish I am confident yellow perch will do well with smallies and few other forage fish. You would keep the fishery thriving by feeding the perch and maybe a few of the self trained smallies. Smallies and some of the larger perch would grow by cropping the abundant smaller YP assuming the perch are producing good recruitment. Harvest the perch as the population increases. Harvest smallies based on what predatory force is needed to keep YP at the balance needed to achieve your goals. See the next example.
There is a small pond west of me that has only yellow perch, spotfins and one grass carp. The spotfins have only been in there for two years. The guy feeds carnivore Aquamax 500 & 600. I keep expecting this pond to stunt out but it hasn't happened since it was built and stocked in 1992. I think some of the big perch eat small perch and his limited annual harvest and daily feeding keeps the perch growing and from becoming stunted. I annually sample this pond by hook and worm angling and regularly catch larger perch in the 8"-12" sizes with an occassional 13"er. It is a learning experience for me.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/04/13 04:02 PM.
