Pond Boss Forums INTRO New Forum Member Introduction Hello from PA

I've been lurking for a while and truly value the information on this forum. I'm in SCPA about 2 minutes from the Mason Dixon Line.

I thought I knew everything about ponds. You throw in some bass and bluegill and nature does the rest. At least that has been the ponds I've seen and fished in my lifetime. So that was my plan for our newly renovated farm pond, but I'm so tired of Bass and usually do things differently. So I started to investigate different fish to stock and found this site.

The Pond was just renovated (was supposed to be last summer) and is now filling slowly with the lack of rain we've been having. It will be just under 1/2 acre at full pool and 12-15ft deep at the deepest with a couple shallower areas from 3-6ft deep with steep ledges and contours to the deeper area.

Using our well and a little rain there is now a couple feet of water in the pond. Had an Algae bloom and lots of water beetles and mosquito larva. So I'm thinking of putting in a small amount of FH minnows and maybe some Mosquito fish also.

Goals for the pond is to have a family area where we can swim, fish, camp, bbq, host family and friends, etc. With the farm it's hard for us to get away or go on vacation, so we will turn the pond area into our little oasis.

Still thinking about fish stocking, but RES is a must. I can't seem to find any. Zetts in WV (closest hatchery to me) talks about Redgills. I assume they are redears? Fishwagon comes close on their trips and they have redears. And it seems the PFBC is pushing for us to need to obtain permission to stock our ponds in the near future.

Seems I'm always a day late, dollar short, and up against a time wall.

Welcome to Pond Boss from another PA member!!

My main pond is located in Somerset County near Jennerstown PA.

I got true Redear sunfish from SOLitude. They used to be mainly out of Virginia but they did deliver.

Zetts in Drifting PA has a lot of good fish. That's kind of close to State College PA.

I don't think I'd assume that Zett's WV "Redgills" are true redear sunfish, but perhaps.

Thank you for the suggestion on SOLitude. I will contact them today.

Zetts in WV or PA seems to be the hatchery I'd be going with for most of the fish. I'm still torn between the standard largemouth and bluegill stocking and something different. I'd like enough numbers to provide fun fishing for my young children and provide enough fish to have a few fish fry's each year. I was dead set on a smb and yp pond, but there is something attractive about raising plate sized bluegills.

Welcome Steve. Keep this in mind.

Every predator needs prey.
Prey needs predators.

The first makes sense but why would prey need predators? Simple; to keep them from over spawning, creating an oxygen shortage , and having a big die off. It dang sure happens. Without coyotes, rabbits would become a real problem to us and themselves.

Stock prey like fathead minnows first. Ok at this time to stock small bluegills and feed them appropriately sized (small) pellets. Or, wait until the water cools enough next year. Consider Redear sunfish also.

After the sunfish have gone through a couple of spawns, stock bass at the rate of about 100 per acre. They need to be about 4 inches long. That, due to water temps, would be best next spring.

Last, don’t lie to your wife about the expenses. You’re gonna get caught.

Thank you.

That's Sage advice about the wife. She always knows...

Let your wife help with the stocking plans.

That way they are also HER fish! (Assuming she is OK with catching and eating.)

My wife will cook anything that I catch/shoot and clean - as long as it is prepared before it gets to her.

I tried to get her involved in the building and planning of the pond. Only input I get is "No Catfish."

No catfish is a good idea. Smart for your pond situation. The fewer bass that you stock the larger and quicker they will grow.

If a fish seller is peddling something that has a weird name, ask them for the scientific name - genus and species. That will clear up a lot of confusion. I've never heard of a Redgill.

Good advice. I've never heard of a Redgill either, so I assumed it was another name for redear. I will ask if I contact them. I have contacted SOLitude and hoping they can get the RES for me.

Redgills. Zetts often creates unique names for his fish for IMO his way to try and be special and having something no one else has. His redgills are very likely redear sunfish. Important note - batches of home grown fish from any fish farm frequently have the occasional different species mixed in with the group - buyer beware. It is often very difficult to separate the different species especially with sunfishes when the fish are smaller than 2"-3", thus one could easily or often get unwanted species or hybrid fish mixed in with what you buy. It is a good idea to as best as possible to hand sort the fish that are bought and stocked or be aware the unwanted species could be present as they grow in your pond. Traveling fish trucks commonly have this problem with their fish in truck tanks.

So for my initial stocking of RES would it be best to get fish larger than 3" in order to identify the RES better when hand sorting?

Correct. You want to see some red on the opercule, AND no yellowish or orangeish tint to the margins of the anal, caudal and posterior margin of the dorsal fin.

Ok thanks. And yes on the orange. I'm pretty familiar with the GSF as it is in every trout stream around us. I've caught thousands over the years of all sizes. Really cool looking fish and fun to catch, but I really do not want them in the pond.