Pond Boss
Posted By: Timnic 1/2 acer kid fishing lake - 11/26/13 05:25 PM
I have a 1/2 acre pond that I would like to turn into a kid catching lake.

Current conditions

Alkalinity 9.
Small bream and bass stocked now ( never seen more than a 8 inch bass)

Plan

Lime to get alk up.
Put a feeder on the lake
Stock 50 catfish as large as I can get.
Stock 50 smaller cats
Transplant some 1lb bream from an existing 100 acre lake.

Questions

Is it ok to lime in the winter.
When should I stock catfish? Would like to do so ASAP
What are the other holes in my plan?
Posted By: fish n chips Re: 1/2 acer kid fishing lake - 11/26/13 05:38 PM
Will it be catch and release?

If so, the CC will get hook shy really fast.

If you keep EVERY catfish that is caught and restock once a year to keep up with those removed, then it may work.
Posted By: Timnic Re: 1/2 acer kid fishing lake - 11/26/13 05:54 PM
That was my plan. Just keep restocking
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: 1/2 acer kid fishing lake - 11/26/13 08:10 PM
Do you have access to a fish farm that sells hybrid bluegill (HBG) that are 3"-5" long? Stocking smaller HBG will not work very well for survival of stockers. They (HBG 3"-5") would fit your goal and thrive much better than the catfish and transferred large bream from another water body. Young people are not so much concerned with size of fish as much as staying busy frequently catching fish and HBG will nicely fill that goal. HBG do not easily become hook shy similar to catfish.
For more information as to what HBG can be in a pond with pellet feeding read through this thread:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=256325#Post256325

If you plan to use pellets to feed and grow the fish, I don't think I would add lime to increase the alkalinity. What would be the benefit of doing this? Others might know of a good reason for liming a pellet fed fish pond.

However if the kids catching pond is for some adults wanting big fish then catfish will fit into your plan.
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