Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Thoughts on a unique stocking plan

Hi All,

Sorry for the wall of text.

I’ve finally got my 1/2 acre pond filling with water. We’re currently using our well until we start getting some rain, but it should fill this winter. I’m in the foothills of California and have access to some unique native fish species, and I’m trying to figure out how to stock them. We’ve got a 40 acre ranch and the pond is mostly for swimming and eating out of, and I’d really like it to be self sustaining rather than requiring additional stocking. I’m hoping someone with more fishery experience can provide some input.

The fish are going to be Sacramento Perch, Sacramento Blackfish, Tule perch, mosquito fish and the non-native channel catfish. Sac perch are primary piscivores and they can grow, rarely, to 3-4 pounds. They are californias only native panfish, and almost completely displaced by introduced bluegill due to being much less aggressive on their nests. I’m planning to stock them at a rate between bass and bluegill, 100-125 in the 1/2 acre. These will be the primary catching and predator fish. The tule perch are the only freshwater surf perch and live bearers. They get to around 6-8 inches and due to being live bearers have been more resistant to displacement from non-natives. I managed to get a few (12) from a friends creek and planted them with the mosquito fish. These guys are essentially just for forage, although they taste like surf perch if large enough. The blackfish is interesting in that it’s the only species in its genus. They essentially filter feed for inverts and plankton, but people do manage to catch them by targeting them similarly to carp. They grow pretty large and are supposed to be very good eating. I’m a little thrown on the stock rate, since there really isn’t another commonly stocked fish in the same niche. I was thinking of doing 50, kinda similar to the stocking rate for channel cats without feed. Lastly I’d like to do channel cats since I really like catching and eating them. They’re non-native, but they don’t seem to co-inhabit a similar zone as any of the other fish. The largest will predate some of the other fish, but I plan on pulling and eating any caught. There are 3 spawning structures in the pond, and I plan to stock them lightly at 25. They may also help thin out the small/medium sac perch to allow for larger overall fish.

The blackfish and sac perch should be available this spring at the same time. The catfish can be gotten pretty much whenever. The tule perch aren’t commercially available so I’m kinda stuck with what I have, so hopefully they spawn this spring. I also planted 200 PK shrimp for additional forage. Thanks for any input on my plan!

Dylan

esshup,

Does pellet feeding the CC make them less piscivorous? (Because their bellies are full?)

Or does it make the problem worse because the CC will grow so rapidly on a feeding program that they will more quickly be able to swallow the other fish in the pond?

Thanks for the responses! Lots of food for thought in here.


All species expect for the CC naturally occur together, so I think they are the only questionable addition. But I think you’re right that 50 blackfish may be a heavy load for a 1/2 acre. It may be better to under stock and see how they do.



Point taken on the self-sustaining aspect. I guess minimal input as possible is the goal. I don’t mind monitoring and adjusting, but it’s quite a drive to get these fish and they wont be readily available.

1) the tule perch came from a creek, but the rest of the fish are coming from a supplier. It’s still a little up on the air, but he thinks he’ll have a good crop of both the Sacramento species this spring.

2) no issue with introduced species. Thankfully we are on an elevated outcropping and the pond is from damming a small meadow area. There is a decent size runoff basin draining into it, but no creeks or standing water remotely close to it other than a half mile down the hill.




Also a good point. I’m much more interested in the native species than the catfish, I just enjoy them for eating. The Sac perch should eat CC, but would probably be limited to fry and up to a several inches. Based on their habits and size they probably would be equivalent to SMB, but maybe a bit more size limited. I’ll skip them for now

The sac perch have similar breeding patterns as BG and RES, hence the competition. I created a 50x50 cove that’s probably 3-4’ in depth that has a few inches of pea gravel. Hopefully this will be their spawning zone as it’s easily observed and has good cover.

You can always easily add CC at a later date when you see the need. However getting all CC out once in the pond and causing a problem is a very, very difficult task.