If the pond is being dug with a track hoe with water in the hole then10ft is plenty of depth. The digging with water in the basin is risky business. You don't want to compromise the bottom clay structure. If truly spring fed year round the pond should stay full.
You are adding SSS. What fish are you calling SSS, that is a new acronym to me?
If you provide an area of some coarse gravel mixed with pea gravel on the "gentle slope" the SMB will definitely spawn. You will not be able to keep the YP from commonly laying eggs as first fish to spawn (water temp 48-50F) in the spring. Survival of all fry will depend on cover and number or density of fish as fry predators. RES will be the most likely fish to not recruit well.
FHM - stock 2-3 lbs if 1/4ac and 3-4lbs if 1/3ac. If pellet trained YP are available to you, I commonly add 4"-6" YP with the FHM. Although the YP with FHM need to be 4"-6" not 2"-3". YP will focus on eating pellets and not many small minnows that results in still lots of FHM by fall providing suggested rock habitat is used. You do not need to add 8"-12" YP in fall and could use cheaper 6"-8"s instead. Both will spawn the next spring. Plus, plus if you add at least some 4"-6 YP in spring you won't need to add any larger YP in fall to get a spawn in spring of 2023. In fact if you add some 4"-6" and a several 6"-8" YP with 3 lbs FHM in spring while water is pre 50F you will get a YP and big FHM spawn spring 2022. If the water it very turbid with visibility of 12" or less do not expect YP eggs to hatch well. Too much silt suffocates their egg ribbons. Spring 2022 would also be a good time to add RES because RES always struggle to be a common panfish in a strong mixed fishery.
A mix of 15-16 SMB-HSB are plenty of initial predators. The biggest common problem of stocking fish is getting green sunfish mixed with the other stocker panfish or some added from helpful naïve "friends".
Have your dirt man bring you some coarse rock-rubble mix adjacent or near the gentle slope with gravel. This if good permanent habitat that with some big stuff in the mix becomes good cover/habitat. Cut a step or ledge for a curb about 3-5 ft deep so the rubble as it is added does not roll or slide into the basin.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/03/21 03:47 PM.
