I am not convinced yet that small fish smaller than small 10" to 18" bass (only LMB / HSB / SMB) are needed in a pond to keep the insects down. I have one small pond with just female yellow perch and SMB. Both species are adults. YP are 6+years old as 12"-14" long and the 8 SMB are 15"-17" long. Occassionally I add some minnows and the primary food for the YP&SMB are pellets. Essentially small fish are not present. This pond has very few if any numbers of insects that I see in this pond. Numerous other local pond owners that want mainly a swimming domestic water use pond have stocked just largemouth bass. These bass grow to be 9"-12" long. None of them have ever complained to me about insect problems. Note that often these same pond owners when the pond was fishless world complain that "water bugs" were bothering the swimmers. Evidently the adult fish eat about anything any size that swims and fits into their mouth. Another pond owner such as J.Boyd could easily re-test this "small fish insect problem" theory.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 12/14/25 11:25 AM.
