Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain 1/2 acre pond in ny food chain?

What is CP

Chain Pickerel.

I had to go look that one up.

Commonly used acronyms

Lets say I wanted a pond with maybe like 5 big fish over 3-4 lbs and the rest small. Would I be better off stocking cp or bass? Male or female or mixed? Numbers?

It is a matter of opinion and you will get lots of opinions. If you want a few larger bass and others 0.5 to 2 lb (8"-15")then I think you are better off to use mixed LMB with a few to several CP. I would only add a few CP after the first bass spawn then wait and watch the progress. As you see the bass recruiting numerous new small bass then you can add a couple more CP (12"-14"), then wait and watch. Watch for apparent numbers of smaller bass (4"-6") each fall and your ability to catch small bass. When small bass are scare, then remove at least 1 CP maybe two. Then the next fall small bass should be more apparent or appear in angler's catches. When you have 20 to maybe 27 mixed sizes of bass in the 1/2 ac expect to not see hardly any smaller 4"-7" YP. Then you may have to resort to using BG and/or HBG being your main panfishes. Yellow perch have a very hard time thriving with LMB and with CP present,,, I would be surprised if any hatchling YP survive to be 8" long. Save all this information as reference for when the pond is 2-8 yrs old. Then you will need and appreciate the advice.

IMO 25-30 bass up to 4 lb in 1/2 acre will be hard to achieve in a clear water natural production pond. You may have to strive to keep the LMB numbers in the range of 12 to 15 individuals if you want the larger sizes.

Mixed sizes are fine. So I should stock bass and cp. The baitfish are crawfish yp gsh fhm res bg

You may have to eventually have to resort to BG as the main forage fish. Time, pond productivity, and your management techniques will tell the rest of the story. You goals may even change once you live with the pond for 2-6 years. Remember, IMO, do not put CP in until you see numerous small bass yearling bass in late summer or fall. Others may have different opinions. Pick the ideas that fit your goals.

Sorry I wasnt on. My main goal is to have a fishing spot where I can fish every weekend that has fish to catch and that occasional lunker.