Being in north central IN who is your fishery consultant?
We from your posts are to assume that the main goal of the pond is swimming? Correct?
If that is the case and fishing is a second or maybe a third goal then stocking and management is a significantly different program compared to a primary higher quality fishing pond. If Swimming & Recreation (S&R) are the primary goals with occasional fishing of a few times per year, then stocking what and numbers per acre can and should be focused on the primary S&R goals.
Regardless - IMO stocking 13GC /ac in a brand new pond will in the future result in some water quality issues for IMO good S&R. I would have recommended in a brand new pond with no submerged leafy weed problems only 2 maybe 3 GC per acre. More can always be added later if rooted leafy plants become too abundant. NOTE: some good quality rooted leafy plants tend to promote clear water conditions ideal for S&R. Thus these several GC per acre will tend to keep about all or all the new rooted vegetation from becoming established as aptly noted buy "esshup".
As prior mentioned by PF Members the 35-40 GC will have no rooted vegetation to eat. This means rather than them starving, they revert to searching sediments for invertebrates. After the GC grow to 16"+,,,this almost always eventually results in undue turbid water conditions such as water clarity visibilities of just 10"-24". Undue turbid water conditions IMO for best S&R.
GC do not prefer to eat filamentous string algae(FA). Thus the nutrient fertility that always naturally accumulates in all ponds will eventually cause FA be be a concern and probably a problem for swim goals. Maybe FA is already apparent in the pond??
Tilapia then become the alternative natural FA eaters. However on the plus side, the water turbidity caused by the bottom rooting GC may suppress FA growth due to light limitation reaching the bottom and into the water column. With lack of light from turbid water FA does not grow into deeper water. Turbid water also suppresses ALL the plankton development that feeds fish fry and small fish. Thus the result is less overall pond productivity which is not really a goal in a S&R pond.
What is the current water clarity using an all white coffee cup on a string/cord or Secchi dish lowered into the pond???? This will be your individual pond's baseline clarity measurement moving forward. As the pond ages you will be able to determine if pond clarity is improving or decreasing based on management methods or lack thereof.
When I help manage local S&R pond goals, I strive for water clarities of 4ft to 8ft; as clear, clean looking water. It takes a good understanding of in-depth pond limnology and ecosystems to maintain clear water conditions in a pond for the long term.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 04/08/26 02:27 PM.
