Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - 4th pond - what's a different stocking plan?

My 4th pond is complete, and assuming it holds water, I am hoping to stock it with something different than the other 3. Pond 1 is your standard Midwest pond with BG, RES, and LMB. Pond 2 has YP, RES, and SMB. Pond 3 will have CC and black crappie. This pond will be a bit over 1/4 acre and have an additional 1/4 of deep wetland (3-5' deep). Looking for something a bit different for this one, but species that can be obtained in Indiana (my quest for blue catfish for my 3rd pond was not successful). Thought about chain pickerel, but cannot find a source. Only interested in species that will spawn in the pond. Ideas are appreciated.

Carp are really not an option since I prefer North American natives. I grew up catching chain pickerel so they have nostalgic value to me. Maybe grass pickerel? My ponds overflow to a local impaired creek, so I would like to stock fish that could help this creek out.

I think either pickerel would be fun and your earlier thoughts about combining them with pumpkinseed or RES sounds very reasonable to me.

The grass pickerel might be a little more difficult to balance. It does serve as apex predator in some biomes. If you were to go with it you should select a prey mix that would balance well with it. Some of the smaller lepomis might match well with it. For example, orange spotted sunfish or LES. With the grass pickerel I think you want prey that grows slowly after sexual maturity and that reach adulthood in their first year of life. A shorter life span of the prey might be a plus too. The grass pickerel would infrequently live past 5 years of age.

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=383
https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=388

Some minnows to consider:

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=520

https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=690

There are probably others RAH that might be local and colorful additions. I'm not very familiar with your neck of the woods ... I wish I could be more help than this.

I like CityDad's idea of having HSB, but they're unlikely to spawn in a pond, if that's a deal-breaker for you. I really wish I could send you some Blue Cats. That's my goal for the spring, is to have Blue Cat fingerlings. If I succeed, and you still want them, you'll be getting a free shipment from me.