Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Grass carp feeder question

I have permission to stock 24 GC in my 8 acre pond to help control southern naiad (bushy pondweed). For those of you experienced with them, do they become feeder hogs?

Plenty of GC history the last 4 years. 54 acre, HOA lake. 425 were stocked between 2011-2013 to control American Pondweed. We have 6 Sweeney feeders, they lock in on the feeding program and consume way too much Triton 4512. We are thinning the herd via hook, bullet, arrow but in an HOA environment it is not always easy. GC adapt to predation very well, they know how to survive another day. I would start out at 2 per acre and ladder stock a year later if necessary.

Since you asked...

Purchased a 2.2 acre pond in 2001 and it was overrun with bladderwort. 10-15 per acre were recommended so I stocked 30. They did NOT eliminate the bladderwort, but made it semi-tolerable. By 2012, the bladderwort was taking over again. I stocked 50 more, yes 50 more. By 2017, I still had so much bladderwort that it was a hinderance to fishing. I brought out the chemicals and treated the entire pond in sections. That plus the remaining carp completely eliminated ALL vegetation in the pond. Since that time, I've made it a priority to sink 40-60 Christmas trees per year to provide the necessary habitat for the YOY bluegill.

Just curious if it had been awhile since he ate fish.

Yes sir I do. I don't remember exact years, but the ones I put in 4-5 years ago have basically just the trunk left. My thinking is that adding 30+ each year will keep the right amount of dense cover in the pond. And I do find the occasional Christmas ornament here and there around the pond .

One of my local Home Depot stores piles all the unsold trees in the parking lot right after Christmas. They're also a recycling point for the town. I normally stop in twice and get as many as I can put in the pickup. You'd be surprised how many you can get if you pack them in.

He secretly still has them all decorated with underwater lighting too! His fish really love Christmas