Pond Boss
Posted By: tim k Buying Floridas? - 01/16/22 04:17 PM
I am wanting to add some Florida's to my pond - one and a half acres. I found some 1.5 to 3 lb that I can purchase - Camelot Bell in Texas has them at $100 a fish - plus $400 delivery - Sounds super expensive to me - is that the going rate?


Thanks Tim
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/16/22 06:09 PM
Contact Overton fisheries in Buffalo Tx
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/16/22 06:33 PM
Do know if they have the larger Floridas? My pond has some larger native bass so I cannot put in smaller ones. I checked around at a couple of other fisheries and seems not many of them have the larger Floridas
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/16/22 06:45 PM
Tim I imagine the cost of feeding them is the reason. Put a lot of smaller ones in and surely some will survive
Posted By: Bob Lusk Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/17/22 05:06 PM
That price is in line with today's marketplace in Texas. That delivery fee is too high, though.
Posted By: FishinRod Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/17/22 05:20 PM
Do you have a grow-out pond? (Or a place to build one?) Are the Camelot Bell's feed trained?

I do know how much work you are looking for, but you could buy small feed-trained Floridas and grow them to the right size for your big pond.

If they are not feed trained, then you could let the small pond fill with FHMs and then stock small Floridas. If they are not big enough to move after they eliminate the FHMs then you could manage the grow-out pond for appropriately sized bluegills.

Just thinking outside the box, but you could afford a lot more big Florida bass if you moved the feeding and growing portion to you. Of course, then YOU "pay" for the labor - unless you would enjoy such a project and it counted as recreation.
Posted By: Snipe Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/18/22 03:29 AM
100$ for a 1.5lb fish sounds about right. 100$ for a 3lb Bass is dirt cheap.
Delivery fee sounds high but how far away are they?
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/18/22 11:20 AM
Hour and a half away
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/18/22 01:09 PM
Originally Posted by tim k
I am wanting to add some Florida's to my pond - one and a half acres. I found some 1.5 to 3 lb that I can purchase - Camelot Bell in Texas has them at $100 a fish - plus $400 delivery - Sounds super expensive to me - is that the going rate?


Thanks Tim

I think both numbers are high, and yes, I have them. Pretty big gap between 1.5# and 3# when you're talking about LMB pricing. $100 for a 3#, I can see. Not for a 1.5# though. With correct forage for fingerlings(read that gape friendly), a pound and a half Camelot Bell is easy to hit in one summer, so the overhead is much lower. My Legacy LMB, which are Overton's CB strain, hit 2+#'s in 182 days. Forage cost for my hatchery pond was a tad expensive, but it got them in the big pond the same year I stocked them.

I will add that larger fish are hard to get right now, so they are more expensive then they used to be even a year or two ago. Between the mid 2021 Texas February freeze, pond owners refocusing on their ponds, limited availability, and increased overhead costs, fish prices have gone up. Fish are a commodity just like cattle, so when cost goes up, retail prices go up.

$400 for a 1 1/2 hour loaded trip is high, but bagging LMB that size seems iffy. Does Camelot Bell require transport as part of the purchase? If so, then that cost needs to be added to the actual fish purchase.
Posted By: Snipe Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/18/22 06:48 PM
75$ a pound is market value for feed trained Bass, In fact my breeder SMB of a known DNA cost me 95$/lb and they are selling out every year from that facility, 2 years in advance.
Yes the 400$ is too high for transport. I charge 1.50/loaded mile, most in my area charge 2$/loaded mile, so 400 for a 90 mile drive is extreme.
Growing 100-200 fish from forage in a pond is one thing, trying to grow 25,000-50,000 in a crowded facility requires loads of equipment/time/labor/knowhow and the space to make it happen and if you can't make a living doing it then that source goes away and those left raise the price.
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/18/22 09:23 PM
I guess I stand corrected. Tim, go for it.
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/18/22 10:55 PM
Originally Posted by FireIsHot
Originally Posted by tim k
I am wanting to add some Florida's to my pond - one and a half acres. I found some 1.5 to 3 lb that I can purchase - Camelot Bell in Texas has them at $100 a fish - plus $400 delivery - Sounds super expensive to me - is that the going rate?


Thanks Tim

I think both numbers are high, and yes, I have them. Pretty big gap between 1.5# and 3# when you're talking about LMB pricing. $100 for a 3#, I can see. Not for a 1.5# though. With correct forage for fingerlings(read that gape friendly), a pound and a half Camelot Bell is easy to hit in one summer, so the overhead is much lower. My Legacy LMB, which are Overton's CB strain, hit 2+#'s in 182 days. Forage cost for my hatchery pond was a tad expensive, but it got them in the big pond the same year I stocked them.

I will add that larger fish are hard to get right now, so they are more expensive then they used to be even a year or two ago. Between the mid 2021 Texas February freeze, pond owners refocusing on their ponds, limited availability, and increased overhead costs, fish prices have gone up. Fish are a commodity just like cattle, so when cost goes up, retail prices go up.

$400 for a 1 1/2 hour loaded trip is high, but bagging LMB that size seems iffy. Does Camelot Bell require transport as part of the purchase? If so, then that cost needs to be added to the actual fish purchase.


They told me that they do not deliver but could refer me to someone who will - the referral was to the owner's son who quoted the $400 - they will not guarantee the fish if I try to pick them up myself -
Originally Posted by FireIsHot
Originally Posted by tim k
I am wanting to add some Florida's to my pond - one and a half acres. I found some 1.5 to 3 lb that I can purchase - Camelot Bell in Texas has them at $100 a fish - plus $400 delivery - Sounds super expensive to me - is that the going rate?


Thanks Tim

I think both numbers are high, and yes, I have them. Pretty big gap between 1.5# and 3# when you're talking about LMB pricing. $100 for a 3#, I can see. Not for a 1.5# though. With correct forage for fingerlings(read that gape friendly), a pound and a half Camelot Bell is easy to hit in one summer, so the overhead is much lower. My Legacy LMB, which are Overton's CB strain, hit 2+#'s in 182 days. Forage cost for my hatchery pond was a tad expensive, but it got them in the big pond the same year I stocked them.

I will add that larger fish are hard to get right now, so they are more expensive then they used to be even a year or two ago. Between the mid 2021 Texas February freeze, pond owners refocusing on their ponds, limited availability, and increased overhead costs, fish prices have gone up. Fish are a commodity just like cattle, so when cost goes up, retail prices go up.

$400 for a 1 1/2 hour loaded trip is high, but bagging LMB that size seems iffy. Does Camelot Bell require transport as part of the purchase? If so, then that cost needs to be added to the actual fish purchase.


If you sell them I would like to talk with you - I do not need 3 pounders - I just want to introduce Floridas to my pond that will not be eaten by my native bass (of which I have some larger ones) - I am in Georgetown - thanks Tim
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/19/22 12:40 AM
Thanks, but I don't sell fish. It's a line I never want to cross. Those that do go out are to neighbors that need them. Last year, I took 150# to a neighbor that had a massive turnover several years ago on his 35 acre lake.

As far as my forage pond comment, it was brought up by another member, and having raised those lmb, I think they'd do well with feed or forage, that was my only point. I may just be wrong, most likely, but Bob and Snipe say the number's are right, so I'll go with them. Sticker shock.

Tim, I'm not sure you'll find them anywhere else right now. I'd just keep looking. If you do go with the larger adult fish, please take some pictures.
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/19/22 11:11 PM
Originally Posted by FireIsHot
Thanks, but I don't sell fish. It's a line I never want to cross. Those that do go out are to neighbors that need them. Last year, I took 150# to a neighbor that had a massive turnover several years ago on his 35 acre lake.

As far as my forage pond comment, it was brought up by another member, and having raised those lmb, I think they'd do well with feed or forage, that was my only point. I may just be wrong, most likely, but Bob and Snipe say the number's are right, so I'll go with them. Sticker shock.

Tim, I'm not sure you'll find them anywhere else right now. I'd just keep looking. If you do go with the larger adult fish, please take some pictures.


Thank you for your input - I plan to go ahead and purchase some Floridas from these folks as I have searched everywhere for larger ones with zero results - will keep everyone updated
Posted By: ewest Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/20/22 02:31 AM
You can put small LMB in your pond. If done properly using 6-inch Fla fingerlings you can achieve 20-40% survival to year one spawning. There are threads on here about habituating stocker fish, specifically LMB into ponds with existing adult LMB. Several studies were done on this subject.
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/20/22 11:17 PM
Originally Posted by ewest
You can put small LMB in your pond. If done properly using 6-inch Fla fingerlings you can achieve 20-40% survival to year one spawning. There are threads on here about habituating stocker fish, specifically LMB into ponds with existing adult LMB. Several studies were done on this subject.


thanks for the input - so in an acre and a half pond with adult bass already in it if I buy the 6 inch Fla bass some will survive? How many would you suggest putting into my pond? My pond is not overcrowded with fish at all but there are some mature native bass - Would obviously be less expensive to buy he smaller ones and I am in no rush to have the Floridas be big overnight - I live here so it is a long term project
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/21/22 01:41 PM
Dang; what are bluegills going for this year?
Posted By: esshup Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/21/22 04:58 PM
Originally Posted by Dave Davidson1
Dang; what are bluegills going for this year?


What size?
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/21/22 05:08 PM
I avoided answering DD1's question to keep him from having a heart attack.

Dave, they've gone up a smidge.
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/28/22 11:23 PM
well I have 15 Floridas being delivered tomorrow - 1.5 to 3 lbs. Will take some pics and let you guys know how it goes - big investment so we will see
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/29/22 09:23 PM
Delivered my Florida's today - ordered 15 but they gave me 18 which was nice - they were between 1.5 to 3.0 pounds. Time will tell!

Anyone know how to rotate the pictures?

Attached picture IMG_4272.jpg
Attached picture IMG_4276.jpg
Posted By: anthropic Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/29/22 09:41 PM
Beautiful fish! My guess is that it is less stressful to transport & stock them now, when temps are cool.
Posted By: tim k Re: Buying Floridas? - 01/29/22 11:39 PM
yes Sir - the water they were transported in was very cool and the fish were as lively as you could get when they were taken out of the container and placed into my pond -

Here is a funny side note - a few hours after they were placed into my pond it is a nice day so I decide to go fish a little - using a worm and I hang onto a very nice fish and thinking "OK one of these new Floridas already bit" - I work the fish to the bank and pull him out - a 6 to 7 pound native bass on my hook - so I think I am good either way!
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