Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - New pond stocking

Hi everyone. This spring we completed our 1.5 acre pond located in NE Iowa. Its currently 12 out of 20' deep. I've got a bunch of structure in it already, trees and rocks. I stocked it with fat head minnows a couple months ago, and they've spawned. The pond is loaded with bugs, and the leapord and bullfrogs are moving in.

Originally, as soon as it was half full our pond guy wanted us to get it stocked with everything. But now that I am watching this ecosystem develop, I feel like I should take it slow. I'd almost like to see the FHM spawn some more, and see the frogs actually reproduce. Build that forage food base first. Maybe stock fish next year?

Is this a good idea? Or is it inevitable that I will just need to feed them pellets anyway so just get it stocked? I am in no hurry, I want a successful pond for the long haul. Or maybe I can just add a species of fish at a time? I was planning to run feeders, but if I can feed the fish for free, I'd rather do that!.

The plan was for bluegill, largemouth, redear, and perch.

Thanks in advance

You don't "have to have" BG and LMB. If you have BG, you pretty much need LMB to control the BG numbers. If you are going to have YP, the presence of LMB will likely require restocking the perch as they are a preferred prey due to their fusiform shape.

The YP, RES and (if you can get them and provide spawning beds) SMB combo is always an option. IF you can't get SMB, you could stock the RES and YP and see how things go (Cody successfully manages ponds with just YP in them). BG and/or LMB are cheap to add later on if needed or desired.

You comment: "I am watching this ecosystem develop, I feel like I should take it slow. I'd almost like to see the FHM spawn some more, and see the frogs actually reproduce. Build that forage food base first. Maybe stock fish next year? Is this a good idea? "

IMO what you are doing is a very good idea. Once you put the bass in,,,,,, ALL the FHM will be gone soon after the first spawn recruitment year class of the bass. With the stocking plan of BG,RES, YP and largemouth, this Fall I would add the fingerling BG, RES and YP. This gets these panfish established and could provide some fry from the some of the early panfish spawn as or when bass are stocked in Spring early summer of 2027.

Because the FHM will be eliminated in 2028 regardless of how many small FHM you now have and by Fall you might want to stock some golden shiners (GSH) in Fall (3-6lbs) or when you stock the LMB. This method will provide small shiner forages for the longer term after the FHM are depleted.

My experiences are RES as their second generation will be a rare catch by anglers unless you have abundant deeper (6-8ft) water structure in multiple groupings of trees called FISH CITIES. Fish cities increase fish production in the water where it is added. Listen to this:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/976324/episodes/3322504-episode-001-fish-habitats

These fish cities will also strongly benefit the yellow perch who as later generations really struggle to maintain good populations when living with big mouthed LMB and a lack of fish cities or lack of weed bed vegetation areas. YP are a slender bodied panfish and LMB really like selectively eating the juveniles and young perch adults versus those can lid shaped bluegills. GSH will take some of the predatory pressure off the YP while allowing continued great growth of your LMB providing you don't allow the LMB to become over abundant. Slow growth of LMB very often means you have too many bass, and not enough good habitat.