I hav always wanted to try a pond with fatheads as a starter, then bluegills and catfish. I fear that, sooner or later, it would be out of balance with too many BG.

Lusk sez: only bluegills can spawn enough to feed bass and only bass can keep up with bluegills booming spawns.

Catfish fry go everywhere in a school and are easily picked off by everything. But, on a new pond, stocked with bluegills and bass
they can compete. However, they do not successfully replenish themselves in the face of predation.

I have a 1/4 acre pond that, after many years and generations, is now all green sunfish. It’s now less than 1/8 acre due to drought. If, or when, we get enough rain to refill it, I intend to restock with fatheads, bluegills and catfish. I want to find out if I can balance a bluegill pond with cats. Due to the distance, a mile from the house, I can’t use a feeder and can only get there by 4 wheeler. If hogs didn’t destroy it, poachers would steal it. Afraid I’ll screw things up. With the limited spawns of GSF, I don’t have O2 problems. Other species like BG could over populate it causing an O2 crash. We will see if cats can be the answer.

It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP Grandpa