Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Recommendations for Saugeye stocking

Hey guys, wanted to drop a note here. I have fertilized the last batch of eggs for Saugeye production and I have about 10-12 days to finalize orders for fry.
I had originally posted responding to jpsdad that I do not recommend a new pond be stocked with these but I ran across a couple of exceptions in the last couple of weeks, 4 of which are state projects I had not been following very closely
In a new pond with species planned such as SMB, YP and still want BG, I think this has been a benefit to stock fry in lower initial numbers prior to stocking BG where BG are desired but LMB are not a part of the plan.
The early stocking of SAE fry at the same time FHM are stocked, followed by 3-5" BG in a pond of 3+ acres will get the SAE to a size they will begin working on BG production as they will be large enough to begin consuming the BG fairly quickly post-hatch with a recommendation of YP and SMB stocked in the fall with GSH added as brooder size the next summer.
We've had 4 community ponds stocked in this manner over the last 2 years, 3 were refurbed in 2022, stocked beginning spring 2023.
The fry stocking rate was considerably lower than that recommended for an existing fishery due to extremely low potential of predation.
Can discuss with anyone wanting to try this but results look very promising on all species growth rates as of fall 2024.
After fry orders are filled, we will be stocking the remaining fish for intermediate grow out to fill existing orders the best we can.
Thanks and holler if you wish to consider this.

Thank you Snipe for looking into this further.

Are saugeye fry/fingerlings going to have any chance in a pond w/ >15” LMB & 24” CCs?
How many fry would I need for an established 1.6 acre pond?

How much cover is available for them? If you have "fluffy" cover like recently-cut cedar trees or some areas of relatively dense pond weeds, then they will have some refuges.

If you describe your cover more fully, then Snipe will be able to give you a more informed answer if he drops back into this thread.

See the threads on habituation.
https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=536404#Post536404

My guess is the survival of SAE will be about like stocking LMB fry of the same size. Adding cover will increase the chances but most predation will be in the first 2 days so habituate any fry /yoy going into a pond with adult fish.

"We found that fingerling largemouth bass survival significantly increased (P , 0.004) from 26% to 46% when fish were habituated in a predator-free enclosure for at least 15 min. Surviving fish spent most (95%) of their time in the structurally complex habitat. "

So my pond is about 1.6 acres and located west of Buffalo near the New York/ Pennsylvania border' I have very little cover and what I have is artificial. I'll be removing some grass carp, so the vegetation should increase a bit this summer. I've thrown in about 15 Honey Hole Reeds, maybe 4-5 Honey Hole Shrubs and 6 Honey Hole Trees. (The general advice I have been working with is to avoid adding organic matter like young spruce and fir.)

My ideal pond would produce 1.5 - 4 lb fish for eating. Since the surface water temps get around 80F in August, I've ruled out trout. YP were ruled out because I'd prefer something larger. CCs don't appeal to me and Crappie seem difficult to manage well. Walleye seem possible, but I'm under the impression that the pond isn't quite deep or cool enough.

Max depth is just over 10.5' and there is a fair layer of muck. I have no aeration, though I plan to introduce that this year or next when I can get electricity to the pond.. My next project is to redo the outlet (which is collapsing) and to create a new inlet. During heavy rains, the pond draws water from a tiny creek. I'm going to change that because I can see quite a bit of silt builds up during these minor floods. Instead, I'll be creating a forebay or settling pond from which I draw clearer, cleaner water. When I finally get some power, I'll probably pump water into the forebay as a natural filter.

I have CCs, but I don't believe they're reproducing. I'll be fishing them out. Two years ago, I stocked with 50 LMB that were 10"-12". Last year, I saw evidence of larger, older LMB that must have already been there. I'd say I have quite a few 13-15" LMB and ample evidence of spawning.

My goals have shifted, but I have been going for 'lots of hungry, skinny LMB' so I can harvest >1.5 lb blue gill and 1-3 pound LMB. HOWEVER...

The possibility of Saugeye seems really, really appealing. I'd love to have a tasty sport fish that can easily get over 3 lbs. It also seems like they can apply the necessary pressure to my sunfish to ensure >1 lb bluegill.

I'm definitely concerned about LMB predation and, if the advice is favorable for Saugeye, will work to harvest them heavily. Because I want big bluegill, I imagine I'll harvest any LMB over 16" and more aggressively than that if I stock w/ SE.

I am curious if LMB and SE prefer different habitat. Obviously it's just 1.6 acres, but wonder if the LMB will tend to the shore and brush while the SE stay in deeper water.

I am curious if LMB and SE prefer different habitat. Obviously it's just 1.6 acres, but wonder if the LMB will tend to the shore and brush while the SE stay in deeper water.

They are very different in where they spend their first year. If Saugeye are stocked correctly, best recruitment is seen when they are stocked literally in the middle most portion of the impoundment.
Saugeye spend most of the first year of their life feeding at night and only frequent cover under darkness until they are in the 11-14" range where they begin slipping in and out of cover and move back out fairly quickly.
Saugeye is not a species you want to get too carried away with stocking numbers and 10 per ac in a 5-6" size is all I could recommend. We see extremely high survival rates from these even with LMB present because they don't hide in shoreline cover where most LMB are hunting.
As they age, the do begin to frequent these areas more often from the 14-18" size and with abundant forage, we have some that have achieved 24" by the middle of year 3 but normally 19-22 would be most common at yr 3.

I really like Snipe's SAE , and his service. I started off early, May of 2024 . I started with 6"-8" SAE , to involved to type , but we ended up with 30 in 1.7Acres with depths at full pool of 16'-20' , 7 weeks ago we were 7.5' down from drought and our 1st SAE were caught at 17"-20" on same lure and same area of pond as a 20" WAE (seemed schooling together ) . The WAE was stocked at same size but in 2021 , roughly 2"-3" longer but much stockier. Pictures of these fish were posted by myself after Identified by Snipe late March 2025 . Another SAE was caught in the next week , measured 20" , once again it didn't have the weight but was in same length class as the much older WAE. I don't believe you will have temperature issues , or surface size issues with your NY pond , and my ponds have 18" SMB (No LMB) , 20"+ WAE , 16"-17" Black Nose Crappie , 23"-25" CC. If my Western Ok. pond can grow SAE and WAE through summers with weeks of continuous days of triple digit weather , I'd bet your pond will also and I'm confident in Snipe and his knowledge, If he didn't believe in their survival , he wouldn't sell them to your region. My plan , with Snipe's support , is to ladder stock his SAE in both of my ponds, in an experiment to see if SAE will control small sun fishes , so that my ponds will produce very respectable BG and BNCP in the future without stocking Green Carp. SAE have the reputation in large reservoirs , of accomplishing this, now we'll see in smaller ponds. Have to remember, every BOW is different. Thank You , Kenny , looking forward to growing some nice SAE and Sun Fishes , together.