Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Can you feed Bass saltwater baitfish

Right now being in the early stages of our only pond build, this is really just an idea we had sitting around a fire one night. We are huge saltwater fisherman and live very close to the Mobile Bay. I can walk off my dock and catch 25-50 pogey baitfish in a cast net. These 4-6 in long baitfish are the same fish we use as bait offshore every time we go. Once the bass get big enough to eat over the underwater lights off the dock, I believe it would be the perfect bonus food to help the bass get an extra boost in growth. With the biggest pro to this whole idea is how convenient it is and low cost. My question is will this introduction to a new fish harm the bass or the pond? Could my pond get some bacteria from the fish? Is it Legal?



Thank you for your responses, again this is just an idea. Has not been attempted

Yes I think you could use "pogey" to supplementally feed your bass. You might be surprised how long they will live in a freshwater pond assuming they are not eaten first. I think they could live at least several months. Some basically salt water fish can live for years in freshwater - striped bass is just one example.

To add to Bill's post above, this info was taken from the fishbase.se page. " Salinity tolerance range from 0.1-60 ppt, but the commercial catch is mostly from 5.0-24 ppt."

Had no idea that any saltwater fish could live In freshwater.

Many saltwater fish can and do use/inhabit freshwater. Striped Bass , shads- alewife and others. They can create problems if they live and reproduce (just like any baitfish). I posted the link so all could read - see fecundity - possible 3X BG at 152,000 and about 25% of shads at 600,000.


https://fishbase.se/Reproduction/Fi...mp;SpeciesName=patronus&autoctr=1217

I've seen that musical, "Pogey and Bass".