Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose pike?

Hello, Has anybody stocked pike in there ponds for controlling fish population or just to have them to fish for? Maybe not down south or could you? Thank you.

Jawbone, I considered it. I was advised by many that what some would solove my problem may prevent bass and other aggressive but not say well equiped predators to survive. Rule of thumb if you don't want to catch them do not put them in. I had a friend put pike in and now he cannot get bass to survive long enough to mature. Where in michigan are you? Where do you buy fish?

I am from Hastings, I dont buy fish I transplant them. The pike were in this pond before I started it and I caught as many of them out as I could but I know I didnt get all of them out. I am considering draining the pond now to get a Fresh start.

A predator fish the size of a northern pike has no conscience. Fisheries consultants in the Midwest never, but never, stock northerns. With all those teeth, nature made them TOO effective to fit the bill in a small system.

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JAWBONE- You might want to read the article in the May-June issue of Pond Boss titled "Threat of Bass Virus Spills into Michigan". I too used to transplant large bass from other lakes into my pond thinking I could get a head start on building a stable population of larger bass. No more-- the chance of wiping out my entire population by transplanting just one infected fish is not worth it to me. I'll just keep feeding the 'gills and with selective harvest of the bass let 'em get as big as their going to get on their own.

I used to take my boat from the pond to other lakes too, but I don't do that anymore either. Besides, it was a good excuse to get another complete fishing rig, and of course it just happened to be bigger, faster and nicer than the older one. Sometimes ya just gotta make sacrifices, ya know?

Dan