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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6
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OP
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6 |
I have a 1.5 acre pond that was stocked with LMB (50) 3 years ago. When I put them in, I didn't have much money to spare, but I wanted fish! I'm sure there were some "stray fish" in there before... because there were tons of minnows swimming along the shorelines.
My bass are 13-16 inches (avg.) now. I have been doing a ton of reading, and I know that I need to add bluegill. I found some prices for some small adult (3-5"), but when I called to ask about them, the guy said that he only sells 2-3" BG.
I called another hatchery that delivers to my area, and they only sell 2-3" BG, as well.
Would I be wasting my time and money by purchasing 1000 2-3" BG to put in my 1.5 acre pond of ~15" LMB's? What would you do with limited options?
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,754 Likes: 33
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,754 Likes: 33 |
Yes you would be wasting your time as your bass eat prey that is 1/4 to 1/3 of their size. It would be nothing more than a quick snack.
There are quite a few members from the Southeast and maybe they will chime in good hatcheries in you area.
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6
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OP
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6 |
Would you expect a portion of those to survive to maturity, considering a TON of cover?
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,754 Likes: 33
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,754 Likes: 33 |
Depends on the habitat. Maybe you could have some survival. Could you describe the habitat?
I would try to get 5-6" BG.
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6
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OP
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6 |
The pond was built, surrounded by a good mixture of pines and hardwoods. You can't walk around the pond; you can't even fish from any of the "banks". Every couple of years, my brother and I cut some of the "less desirable" trees that sit really close. The pond is probably a 250' diameter circle. We have trees cut every 30-40 feet along the edges.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,546 Likes: 845
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,546 Likes: 845 |
I'm sure some will survive, but it'd be money better spent by stocking at least 5" long fish. Bigger than 5" is even better.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,799 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,799 Likes: 68 |
Hi JH - welcome to the forum!
If you head to local lakes/ponds with a few buddies/rods/licenses you should be able to get 1000 5"+ BG in a weekend of intense fishing if you can't source BG that size from a nearby hatchery. Or, you can buy those 1000 BG and grow them out a couple inches in cages very easily in a couple months with daily feeding of AquaMax 400/500 and release when they're ready. Just make sure you are following regs on daily bag limits...transferring fish usually isn't a no no, as long as you maintain you're keeping them alive for cleaning, and not stocking. Keeping fish alive so one can clean fresh fish is a common practice, just be smart about it. I have moved a lot of RES and SMB into my pond that way, just be sure you are positively iding the species of fish - you don't want to make any mistakes.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6
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OP
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6 |
Thanks guys; I need to find someone who sells bigger fish! Would you recommend a few trips to a lake and bringing home as many good BG as I can catch? (If I can't find a good size fish for sale?)
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6
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OP
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 6 |
Hi JH - welcome to the forum!
If you head to local lakes/ponds with a few buddies/rods/licenses you should be able to get 1000 5"+ BG in a weekend of intense fishing if you can't source BG that size from a nearby hatchery. Or, you can buy those 1000 BG and grow them out a couple inches in cages very easily in a couple months with daily feeding of AquaMax 400/500 and release when they're ready. ^That's the plan!
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,799 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,799 Likes: 68 |
Be careful of introducing any invasive vegetation...don't dump lake water into your pond, be careful when you transfer fish.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 17
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 17 |
I have a 2 acre pond that was full of stunted bass and large crappie when I bought the land and had no bait fish in it at all. I never saw a minnow or a bream. I bought 400 small copper nose blue gill, 2 inches or less. I made the mistake of releasing them in too shallow ,warm water and many died. I just wrote it off as a stupid mistake . To my surprise though I am now, 3 years later , catching mature copper nose and it appears that the food chain balance is a lot better, with my bass being different sizes. So in my opinion, it is worth a try. Make sure you have cover for the small fish to hide in. I did fish the pond hard, and took out many small bass and crappie. All ponds must be fished to be managed.
Last edited by Russell Lowry; 04/20/12 09:44 AM.
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