Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Pen raising fish

A 2 pound HSB is around 15". to get them to that size it may take a larger cage and one would likely have to reduce their density per cuft in the cage due to crowding effects. Growth rate will highly depend on growing degree days for the fish. My best guess starting at 5"-6" to 15" is 9-11 months at above 60F.

When HSB were cage raised to 11"-13" and set free into a pond no problems were observed. They resumed regularly eating pellets and biting anglers baits.