Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking schedule question

I concur with Bill Cody.

Some random thoughts:

If you want to stock LMB, then you have to stock BG to provide enough food for the LMB. Nate Herman and I shocked a 10 ac pond where there were LMB, Crappie some YP, Redear Sunfish with BG making up 1% of the panfish population that was shocked up. The LMB were way under weight, even one 5 pounder that we shocked - it should have weighed in the 7 pound range. The fishery is turning around with heavy LMB harvest and stocking of 10,000 BG along with adding lots of cover.

If you stock CC with the LMB, and don't harvest the CC out after 3 years they will really start eating the forage fish that the LMB need. You will never be able to harvest all the CC that you stock and they will become eating machines that can eat 8"+ BG.

When the BG numbers drop the LMB will start looking for other species of fish to eat that are out of their usual habitat, i.e. YP.

You can go with:
LMB, BG, RES, YP, Golden Shiners & Fatheads
or
RES, YP, SMB, Golden Shiners & Fatheads

With either plan, you can add 25-50 per acre 6"-8" HSB to the mix year 2 or 3.

Remember that harvesting the fish is an integral part of managing the pond, and that means harvesting the predators. Try not to harvest the stocked fish for the first 3-4 years but harvest their offspring. If you do stock HSB, those can be harvested once they become eating size, as they will not reproduce in the pond.

I also agree on stocking the correct numbers and stocking the predators no longer than 12 months after the forage base is stocked, or some other predator might find it's way in.


I am currently experimenting in my personal pond with stocking HSB on top of a SMB population with BG in the pond to see if they can control their numbers. My pond experiences 3 feet to up to 5 feet of draw down annually or semi-annually so that might contribute to more successful predation though.