I have a similar pond, but have GSH rather than spotfin, and also have lake chubsuckers and papershell crayfish. I added stone and boulder spawning structure for the SMB and they have spawned. I went slow adding 10 SMB each in 2 consecutive years after populations of the other species were well established. Have not seen any of the RES, but the YP, GSH, and LCS have all reproduced well. The pond has only been fished a few times, but the SMB growth was beyond my expectations. Lots of food and only 20 original SMB colonizers in a 1 acre pond probably accounts for this. No WE in my pond though. Been too busy with new ponds and other habitat enhancements to fish. I did make time for the deer season though. My neighbor who fishes my ponds seems pretty happy. He has also trapped 18 muskrats out of one of my wetlands so far this year, and there are more in there. He needs to trap more out of my ponds as well. They breed like rats and eat all of the emergent plants, not to mention undermining the banks and dams! He cleaned a half dozen beaver out of one pond last year and a single one out of one of my wetlands this year. Glad that he likes trapping!

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Last edited by RAH; 12/14/20 07:33 AM. Reason: added image