IMO - In early spring when your SBS and other forage species are eating pellets well, the HBS should also be coming to eat pellets. HSB may not yet be eating aggressively due to early spring temps. Did you see the HSB aggressively eating pellets before winter arrived??? This is an important point. Important due to them knowing where the feeding station was located and who as surviving.
It is very possible, almost a guarantee, that all HSB survivors will sooner than later return to the feeding station. Eating pellets is very easy food items and HSB 5"-7" long should be well habituated to pellets. That is all they have ever eaten. If you don't see any sign of HSB feeding by end of April after the prior Fall stocking, I would buy some more. Then when you see plenty of them feeding and growing - invite some of the excess ones as dinner guests.
I have seen instances where all the newly stocked HSB died within a few to several weeks after stocking. Dead fish do not always float. Dead fish do not always float. Again - dead fish do not always float.
FYI -- Once your pond has reached Carrying Capacity and depending on the life spans of species present, about 20 -30% of them die of natural deaths / mortality EACH year. So after the pond is about 5-6-7 years old about 25% of the community dies as losses each year weather you harvest them or not. Where do they go? Well dead fish do not always float.
One thoughtful PB member here claims when BG-LMB ponds are at carrying capacity LMB will not grow unless some of them die to create "space"(room) and then enough food for any new added LMB growth. Interesting concept that is very likely true IMO.
Deaths from stocking are almost always due to the many stressor events from grower or producer harvest, grower holding, next step transportation to retailer, holding conditions at the retailer seller, tank harvest again and final transport to the pond. HSB due producer suggestions, are held in high salt concentrations to minimize fungal growths. It seems stressed HSB are pretty vulnerable to funngal infections. If HSB are not carefully temperature tempered and salt concentration tempered from high salt to regular fresh water that is a big stressor. Don't ask why I know this! There are many stress event conditions on that fish before you get them. The buyer never sees how many died prior to them getting the final stocker fish. Number losses can sometimes can be significant. It all depends. Some fish retailers, like doctors are much better than others. Just because they are doing it does not mean they are best in class.
In my experience stocking fish is always "risk management". Numerous hidden factors to consider.
AI says this about how much of the adult fish community dies each year.
In a typical pond or lake, it is normal for 25% to 50% of the adult fish population to die each year from natural causes.
While this might seem high, these deaths usually occur gradually throughout the year, meaning you rarely see many dead fish because they are quickly consumed by scavengers like turtles and crayfish or decompose on the bottom.
Key Mortality Factors
The number of fish that die depends on several factors, including the species and the environment:
Species Differences: Smaller, shorter-lived species often have much higher mortality rates. For example, some black crappie populations can have an annual mortality rate as high as 70%, whereas larger fish like largemouth bass might average around 30%.
Natural Causes: The majority of adult fish deaths are "natural," caused by:
Predation from birds (like cormorants) or larger predatory fish.
Environmental Stress, such as rapid temperature changes or low oxygen levels (hypoxia).
Spawning Stress, which weakens fish in the spring and makes them more prone to disease.
Human Impact: Fishing adds to the total death rate.
Harvest: In managed ponds, experts often recommend harvesting a set amount (e.g., ~10 lbs of bass per acre) to keep the population healthy. Cody note: healthy and growing well. Undue crowding stifles growth rates.
Catch-and-Release: Even if released, roughly 15% to 18% of fish may die later due to "delayed mortality" from handling stress or deep hooking.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/09/26 03:12 PM.
