Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Golden Shiner Timing

I'm probably trying to micromanage here, but I have a golden shiner question. If I add them to a pond in NC, is there a best time? I know you want to take advantage of the spawn, but is it possible that they spawn slightly later than largemouth? I would hate for them to rob the nest of my one or two big fish that I think are in there. Overall, the pond needs harvesting (of the small bass), so it would probably be a good thing for them to steal some eggs, I would just prefer it not be my giants' eggs, if that makes sense. Typically, the big fish seem to spawn early, so if I add the shiners in mid/late April, would that theoretically be a good idea?

Don't be too concerned about the GSH stealing eggs under those circumstances.

Golden shiners spawn in the
spring when water temperatures
rise above 68 oF (20 oC). They quit
spawning when temperatures
exceed 81 oF (27 oC). Once spawning
begins, fish will continue to
spawn even when temperatures
drop below 68 oF. Golden shiners
spawn frequently, attaching their
adhesive eggs to aquatic vegetation
or spawning mats. No care is
given to the young. Eggs are
about 4/100ths of an inch (1 mm)
in diameter and hatch in 3 to 4
days, depending on water temperature

GSH very probably do not rob eggs from fish nests UNLESS the shiners are abundant and or are toward overpopulated. Abundant GSH populations tend to over eat the food supply and the shiners then are overly hungry and brave to approach fish nests. In these situations there are numerous large GSH (6"+) that escape predation and are contributing to the overabundant GSH and their food shortages. Until that happens it is very doubtful GSH are doing much eating of eggs from fish nests. If the pond needs harvest of smaller LMB, it is very unlikely any egg robbing of nests will occur because the abundant bass will be eating all the stocked GSH and few if any will survive. Your initial problem will be getting any GSH to survive after stocking into the pond unless you stock big ones 6"-8"+ or the pond has lots of weedy habitat cover for smaller stocked 3"-5" GSH to survive. Improving GSH survival of stocked individuals will increase if you remove lots of predators of the shiners - LMB. Then as the shiners become established the you can allow more LMB to be in the pond i.e more foxes in the chicken house.