I've got the task of being in charge of our neighborhood lake, and we've had numerous residents ask us about stocking channel cats in the lake. Y'all have always given me great advice, so I'm hoping to get some great words of wisdom.
The lake is about 100 acres, with bass (some over 10lb), small amounts of crappie, bluegil/redears, and we added 7 loads of threadfins last year. We have a few bullheads that have been caught, but not many.
The bass are a little undersized, with most being 80-85% relative weight. We have started sinking christmas trees for added cover, and have placed close to 400 over the last 3 years.
My concern is that they would compete with bass for food, and the bass are already struggling, and that it would cost a fortune to create a decent population in the lake. What kind of stocking rate would you need? One of the guys wanting to do it talked with a fish truck guy, and he said you could add a couple of thousand 3-5" a year till they became established?
Is that feasible?
90% of the people fishing fish for bass, so I'd hate to hurt them as we have been working to improve their population.
Will bass eat the small catfish?
Thanks for any info!
