Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Fathead Minnow Population

Anyone want to make an educated guess on how many FHM are now in my 1/4 acre pond?

I put in 3-1/2 pounds in April (approx. 1000 minnows). They were mostly grown to full grown, many of the males had mature coloring, but some fish were as small as 2' long. I had already established 7 stacks of pallet structures (2 doubles and 5 triple stacks, in 3 to 4 foot of water, the top pallets being 6 to 12" below the surface. When the sun is just right and the water clarity decent, I can see 25 feet out into the pond and there will be a minnow every inch or two (everywhere). Someone here on PB said that I would be able to walk across their backs by the end of the year. I'm almost there. How many FHMs can there be?

AND...Why don't I see any full grown adults at all?, just tons of 1/2" to 2 inchers? I suspect that the adults reside deeper in the pond. If that is the case there is a ba-gillion that I can not see. I hope I don't run out of water.

I put about 800 to 900 FHM in my new 1/4 acre pond in very early spring. I have a dump truck load of rocks, piles of bricks, and some fine brush for cover. A month or so later I also put in about 20 very small HBG, about 30 very small RES, and 58 5-8" CC. I also now have bank to bank FHM, and most of the ones I see are in the 1/2" to 1.5" range. It's the same with my 40 x 50 ft minnow only pond. If I put a trap out I catch some 3" adults. The bigger ones seem to stay on the bottom.

There are probably as many as I put into the pond in a 10 x 10 foot square of the 1/4 acre pond. A lot of the adult FHM I put in were Rosy Reds, but few offspring are red.

JohnF, ohh the Rosy Reds. Those were my favorite on our area lakes for crappie when I used to spider rig all the time! They are killer!