Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Restarting a 1+ acre pond

I'm with Dave. Drop the numbers of CC, increase the numbers of BG/CNBG/RES and add FHM/GSH. Be aware that when CC get larger than 3# they start eating fish, so they will be a predator in the pond along with the LMB. Also, at least up here, if a CC is caught and released, it's VERY hard to catch them again. I've caught, tagged and released CC in my pond, and have never caught them again. Some were caught in 2009. I can see them swimming around under the feeder (can see the tag), but they want no part of a hook.

Rule of thumb when stocking. Make sure any forage fish that are stocked are large enough to avoid getting eaten by the predators, or know that you could be stocking expensive dinner for the predators.

It's hard, but wait until you can walk across the pond on the backs of the forage fish before stocking the LMB. If you can feed the fish, (even the forage fish) they'll grow quicker.