Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose SMB and BG

In my experience SMB will not manage a BG population alone. They will adequately graze BG in their size range [1-3"], but 4-6" BG population will become stunted.

If you stock 20-25 SMB this Spring, they will likely grow to 2-3#, but you'll still have a stunted BG population. I would add Crayfish and think about GSH to supplement forage base for SMB.

You could stock HSB in addition to the SMB, and they will help manage the BG population and provide an additional sport species to your fishery. In this scenario I would suggest implementing pellet feeding program and if your HSB and SMB are starting to exhibit signs of poor body condition I'd bump the feeding time. This likely means they have exhausted their forage niche [1-4" BG].

NOW.....If your goal is to establish a quality SMB fishery, I'd drain and seine the pond this Spring and start over. Since it's a smaller pond it won't be much of a chore - I do this every year myself in two ponds of similar size. You have a couple other ponds to stock the BG currently present in this .25 acre pond.

If you start over, consider the following stocking plan for a quality SMB fishery in .25 AC pond:

Spring stocking:

100 Adult GSH
1000 FHM [dont have to go crazy here, they'll reproduce all Summer]
250 RES
500-1000 Grass Shrimp
100 native Crayfish

Fall stocking:

25-50 SMB

Optional:

You could substitute the GSH with stocking 100-200 YP - adds another sport species that is great table fare and helps feed the SMB. My personal experience with GSH/YP combo fishery isn't good for YP - they don't compete well for pellets against the schooling/swarming/aggressive GSH. Not sure on others' experiences, but I'd decide on one or the other.

If you pellet feed, you can always add some HSB down the road to provide an angling challenge. Even 5-10 fish supplementally stocked annually would provide a great opportunity for anglers of all ages.

WE are also an option. Fishery won't support many fish, but can serve as an occasional catch that is fun and great eating.

If you want to stick with BG, accept you'll have a stunted BG population if you plan on SMB as your apex predator. HSB might help, but won't cure the problem in my experience.

Hope this helps. If you are ever up in Lincoln let me know, I can show you my SMB fishery and the BG situation. It's a perpetual challenge managing my BG population despite high density of predators [YP, SMB, HSB, HBCP, WE]