Our annual stocking “ladder” continues…

2 acre Pond:
25, 2007 “class” 12-14 inch HSB
15#’s Tilapia
30#’s TFS

¼ acre HSB/CNBG/RES Pond
25, 2007 “class” 10-12 inch HSB
1 3#BC

George is this the first time for stocking the shad?

George is the 30# of TFS = a load = 6 to 9000 fish? The only way we can get them is by the load = half a standard small delivery truck. What prompted the change in plans?

First time James – I’m very excited about this opportunity.
They likely spawned this morning or no later than tomorrow according to Todd.
He squeezed milt from one to show the “ripeness”.




Eric, I am not familiar with size of ”loads” - this is my first experience with TFS…
Overton has a large truck with multiple tanks.

George I saw the pics above. How many tanks were full of TFS ? A load usualy fills 3 tanks or half of a small truck (6 tanks).

Eric, I don’t have a clue – he had TFS – HSB – Tilapia and at least one 3# BC to help control CNBG spawn in ¼ acre pond.

In addition he was towing a large trailer with tanks that we didn’t discuss.

A Blue Cat, ey, george? Are you thinking of taking him out (and tranferring him) when he gets to a certain size? If so, how big?

Todd, you should know better. Bend at the knees, Man, the knees.

You're no spring chicken anymore!

Only major predator to date in ¼ acre HSB/CNBG pond is 1 female LMB stocked last fall to help HSB control prolific BG spawn.
Overton suggested I BC for additional control – we’ll see.
I transfer HSB at second year to main pond and restock 25 HSB annually to this pond, with large CNBG as goal.

I caught a 1.5 # male TAF/CNBG from this pond yesterday morning.
11.25 inches...

(drool)

George,
If they are good enough for you...good enough for me. Placed my order with Todd for next week. Now, see what u started...lol

George Is there any way to determine what effect adding the shad to your pond will have? I have seen a huge increase in the growth of my fish and attribute it to having shad but I have no idea for sure. Who is the scientist?

James, Overton has caught a 6#+ HSB and has TFS in his pond.
Guess Todd is the scientist...

I'm no scientist, but I do know this:

Bob Lusk's book "Raising Trophy Bass" says the following:

"In the past 20 years, every legitimate trophy bass lake under our care has had a shad population. Every one. It may sound like a bold statement, but it's true. Show me a lake with respectable numbers of bass larger than 10 pounds, and I will show you a lake with a diverse forage base, most often with threadfin and/or gizzard shad complementing the usual cast of characters--minnows, frogs, crawfish, and of course bluegill."

James-
Based on your HSB pics and cheyenne's HSB pics, I'd say (in my amateur opinion) that TFS are the common element that leads to such great results.

Glad you ask. I am in the middle of an experiment with TShad in one pond while the other pond does not have them. It has been 1 year since they went in. Both ponds have BG , LMB , RES and minnows. TFS did survive the LMB attack to establish a population so far. The LMB are in notably better condition in the pond with TFS. Both ponds are on a growout and release program with CNBG so RW are improving on both ponds. However the pond with TFS is doing much better. I estimate at 2.5 times the rate of the no TFS pond. Non-TFS pond about a 5% increase and the pond with TFS at about a 12.5% rate. But it is still early and you have to maintain a plankton bloom during the growth season.

Eric, thanks for your report.
What is the size of the two experimental ponds?
Depth and source of water – run-off or flow thru?
What was water clarity when stocked that resulted in limited LMB predation?
What was your stocking rate?
Spawning stage when stocked?

These TFS reports are very encouraging to me since earlier reports were negative in regard to predation survival and winterkill.

George

TFS pond 16 acres

Non TFS pond 6.5 acres

Number stocked - 2 loads (one truck load or 6 compartments) - appx 16000 to 18000 adult TFS

Water source - runoff and small springs (enough to slow evap loss to minimum)- depth to 20ft , avg 7ft

Stocked just before spawning (that is the only way to establish them in a pond with an adult population of LMB)

Winterkill - not this year (several years + of temp & O2 data indicate this should not be a problem as we have water above 45 F with O2 all year at some depth).

The number stocked was high enough to overcome predation - predation was not limited - see comment in post above wrt improved LMB RWs.

Archives (those archives are good) - TFS http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=9999&Number=106122#Post106122

Bobs take - note the facts were changed to protect the innocent - http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...=true#Post88121

Thanks Eric, good info and now remember the TFS posts.
I wanted to try them last year but missed the spawning run and was really surprised when Overton was able to connect this year.

Our TFS were stocked, by my calculation, at about 1500/acre in water described by Overton as “perfect” with high water covering grassy areas, limited FA, and shoreline vegetation.

The shad were spawners seined “running the banks” the same morning stocked in mid-afternoon.
Visibility was less than 12 inches due to recent rain so predation should be minimal.

Looking forward to your and C19’s results in a much smaller pond – we’ll see...

I have a theory about these shad. I believe that they are more highly digestible compared to a bluegill and have a higher amount of fat content. They are very oily and even the bigger ones have small bones compared to a bluegill of the same size. The cigar shape of their bodies makes them easier to swallow even as adults. However the only place that I have seen them for sale as human food was in a gas station near lake Tawakoni. They also had pickled eggs for sale.

I hope that we put enough in to get established. I'm looking forward to seeing what they do for our HSB, crappie, and smaller LMB. That is if they live.

Is it possible to have too many tilapia? I stocked 120# of tilapia one year and they removed every piece of vegetation in my pond. They even began to eat the grass when it would get close enough to the water. Last year I stocked 25# of tilapia from Bob Lusk because that was all he had left. They removed all of the filamentous algae but left a lot of the aquatic plants.

James, last year we stocked 20#'s tilapia in 2 acre pond with worse FA "Overton had ever seen" and they cleaned it up in ~3 weeks.
We have very little algae this year and stocked 15#'s.

5-10#'s/acre sounds about right to me depemding upon FA problem.

George I can't stand looking at your pictures any longer. I'm going to do some "corrective stocking" Saturday. Tilapia, bluegill, redears and maybe some crappie. And...? Does anyone need some turtles for their pond for free?