Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Growth

I have a 18 month old � acre pond that I stocked last March with the following;
Channel Catfish � 700
Largemouth Bass � 200
Bluegill/Hybrid Bluegill � 500
White Amur/Grass Carp � 10
Flathead Minnows 1,000
I feed them daily from March to November, the Catfish and Bluegill grew by 50% but the Bass have stayed the same size, is this normal for the first year?

Thanks

I am sure one of the B ologist will give you their two cents. My advice on stocking using the fish you put in at the time would of been

Catfish 50
Bluegill 200-300
Largemouth 100
Grass carp 0
Fatheads 10,000
Golden shiners 5000
8 cultures daphnia

To many fish stocked and not enough food supply seem as your stocking guy needed some extra money.
There are many other factors as you will see by upcoming replies.

Good luck Scott

Agree with Scott,Did you really stock "700" catfish? thats a school and a half. Your bass dont have much to eat as your grass carp dont either.Greg and Bill C will have some "food for thought" on this I hope,Ted

Echo Scott and Ted. Should have been 750 bluegill and 75 bass. THe catfish are also excessive but they may be ok with heavy feeding. Start taking out cats as soon as they are eating size. Suggestion is to stock 500 intermediate bluegill b/c I believe forage base is in trouble with 200 bass in a 3/4 acre pond.

Is there any water left in the pond? Just Kidding. Sounds like way too many fish for 3/4 acre. I would call the person that stocked the pond and have them come pull 1/2 of the fish back out.

Your pond will be perpetually "muddy" cloudy once the cats get 12"-15". However you should not be bothered with mat or string algae. Don't expect your bass to grow much beyond 12" until you thin them out. Then your water may be too murky for the bass to adequately see their food and catch it. Thus still poor or slow bass growth.

I had a feeling at the time I bought the fish from a �expert� that it sounded like a lot of fish for a little pond and of course the guy is no longer in business. The cats are 12-14 in so I will start thinning them out and build up my forage base. Thank you for all the advise.

Did you stock them all at the same time? Most fisheries biologists will recomed that you stock your forrage fish first and then not stock your bass untill they have had adequate time to spawn. So if they were all stocked at the same time that may have been a factor.
-Scott

Scott, yes I did stock them at the same time. I now know that was a bad move and thanks to you good folks I have learned a thing or two and will keep doing my home work...thanks again.