So, i'm a newb to management. Have a 1 acre pond that was redesigned and stocked just last spring and fall. LMB, BG, Channel and trout. more info in introduction forum.
The bass seem to be doing really well, nice fat just under a 1lb currently, just starting to bed up. The gills look good, nothing over 7" yet. But they seem to be doing well. I will probably stock some more this year, maybe? I see lots of bait fish still around the spillway and spring and along the banks so i think there is good amount of food. however, i decided to get a feeder as its rec land and i dont live there. So, i'm researching food and amounts, but thats not my current question. I have another spot i fish that has gills at 1lb and Hybrids over 1lb on the regular. I dont want to introduce hybrids but is there a reason not to transport a dozen or so of the 9-10" gills to my pond to jump start the catchable size?
Introducing disease or parasites would be a main possible problem. That's assuming you correctly identify and separate BG from hybrids.
Theo has a good point. The disease or parasites on fish are not always external, just as often they occur internally and not readily visible. If those fish appear healthy & plump you could give it a try. Best success is if those BG are already eating pellets. If not they may struggle to maintain good body weight when introduced into a pond that is at carrying capacity unless you remove some existing fish to make natural foods available for new adult BG.
Theo has a good point. The disease or parasites on fish are not always external, just as often they occur internally and not readily visible. If those fish appear healthy & plump you could give it a try. Best success is if those BG are already eating pellets. If not they may struggle to maintain good body weight when introduced into a pond that is at carrying capacity unless you remove some existing fish to make natural foods available for new adult BG.
Bill, seems likely the BG are on pellets. Not many places in Midwest where they commonly reach 1 lb plus without extra nutrition. At least, in 25 years of Ohio fishing, my largest unfed BG ever was 10.5 inches, 0.9 lbs. Now I've got lots exceeding 11 inches and 1.2 lb.
No, current spot is not fed artificial. This spot i'm talking about is a rock quary. Fish are super healthy. Has BG, LMB, Blue and Channel, crappie both reg and black, Hybrid, even some full Greenies and some rock bass, or as they call them here goggle eye. Caught a few right at 10" full BG and the hybrid up 12" Trust me, if the guy ever sells the quary, i'm on it. Just wondering if there is any con to transporting some mature fish. I guess the only pro is having something bigger to catch as my current stock grows.
As for food, going with AquaMax 500 for now as i can get it at 1.18/lb instead of the Optimal at $1.5 hope to have that all going in a couple weeks. Or, should i wait until after spawn?
Holy cow, Toby, that's incredible! Blue & channel catfish, too? I never fished anywhere in the Midwest like that, and all without feeding. Wonder what would happen if you bought it & started feeding program? I'd drive up there & help you do a creel survey just out of the goodness of my heart.
If you do take some adults to plant, I wonder if you could build a cheap cage to put them in to get them trained to eat pellets.
The larger the fish the more set it's in it's ways (harder to feed train).