Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose 1/4 acre pond, East Texas

I have poured through the forums and read my Pond Boss mag as it comes in the mail. One thing is for certain, there is as many opinions about what to stock into a new pond as there are species of fish in the world. So I would like opinions based on my specific pond. I'm having a pond dug in a few weeks that will be a little smaller than 1/4 acre in East Texas. I do plan on aeration, and a pellet feeder. This pond will be strictly for fishing and beer drinking. I enjoy catching any type of fish. With that being said, what should I stock? I was thinking cc and bg but after talking with my uncle who manages ponds in Buffalo N.Y. he suggested LMB. I don't expect to catch trophy fish every cast and honestly like the idea of catching some eating size bluegill and cc. But if someone said I could just as easily raise HSB that would be worth considering also. Sorry for being so wordy, been thinking about this for a year or so.

Weekweender, welcome to PondBoss from a N.E. Texan with a dandy 1/4 acre pond - headed to Overton's Fish Farm in Buffalo in a few minutes to pick up a few Hybrid Stripers for my annual "stocking ladder.
More later - lots of experience with small ponds
Gotta run,
George

I believe I would pass on the LMB in a 1/4 acre pond. That might work in NY but not in Texas. They have a tendency to over spawn and over eat the forage supply. The average Texas small pond is bass heavy with runts with no food supply that hasn't been eaten. I would consider 100 hybrid bluegills and about 20 hybrid stripers or channel cats.

Don't over stock that 1/4 acre. During droughts, it is going to shrink.

weekender, welcome aboard. I can't comment on the stocking part since my smaller ponds are all single use, but I might talk to the builder and see about digging part of the pond a little deeper than might seem necessary. That will give you a little protection during a drought, and an ability to handle the biomass better.

Listen to Dave and George as far as stocking, they've been there, done that.

East TX is pretty big, what part of the state are you near?

I am considering having a shallow well installed to maintain suitable water level. I Really didn't think LMB was feasible in such a small pond. I love fishing for Hybrids, I'm really shocked that they can exist in a small pond. Only 20? darn I also wouldn't mind stocking minnows yearly to keep forage up.

FireisHot I have property near east side of Lake Tawakoni

George is on the road, but I'm sure he'll know all the stocking numbers for TX ponds. Hard to argue with a guy that has a HSB strain named after him.

Glazener Hybrid Striped Bass

East side of Tawakoni? Then welcome aboard neighbor.

The biomass is not the only thing to consider. The poo levels will also change your water chemistry if you over stock such a small BOW.

You should consider FHM to start as snacks. CNBG is the main forage fish in our area, and if you go with the HSB, get a really good O2 resuscitation tank. You will need one in our heat if you take long to land a HSB. They are a blast to catch, but mishandled, they die easily in the heat of our summers. And with a small shallow pond, there will be little refuse from the heat.

All that said, I am no expert on anything here. My ponds are bigger and deeper than most, so my experience is vastly different from yours. George is right, the HSB are fun to catch. David is also right about LMB, if you don't manage them, they will over populate and you will have a pond full of stunted fish. CC are fun and adding a few would also be fun, as they tend to be a put and take fish in small ponds.

The only advise I have is don't over stock.

You'll get better growth if you feed a good pelleted fish food instead of minnows.

I'm leaning towards CC and BG. I think CC are little heartier than HSB. I will definitely head everyone's advice and keep the numbers low.

You might have to really get serious about harvesting Bluegills in a year or 3. I don't know if CC can keep up with their fecundity and you might end up with stunted BG.

Weekender, I am bushed after a 500mile roundtrip to pick up my annual HSB stockers, but your post above suggests your interest in CC.
You coujd not run fast enough to get me to stock CC in any size pond, let alone a small one..

I don't give advise on the forum -only share experience, including mistakes. Overstocking stocking CC was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made.
EVERY CC hooked should be removed because they will never bite anything again with a string attached - as Dave Davidson is fond of saying.
They will get big and cause major problems.

I am a CNBG/HSB fan with lots of successful small pond experience.

Link below is information regarding HSB if in the future you become interested.
Good luck,
George

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.ph...ite_id=1#import

I second and third Georges and Daves comments about catching CC. There's one in my pond that was caught in 2009, tagged and released, and another in 2010 that the same thing was done to it. Neither have been caught again.......

Okay guys you have my attention. If it is feasible to stock HSB I would definitely do that. I just figured every time I see them in the lake they are zooming all over the place, seems like they would burn up in a small pond. I don't mind going through a learning curve for what will work in my pond but what I want to avoid is getting my son all pumped up to catch some fish in our pond only to find them all piled up dead on the shore. What other considerations do I need to account for to stocking HSB? Depth and size of pond are non negotiable, that's simply the room I have. I would also like to harvest an amount of fish that the pond could support. So I wouldn't mind buying fish each year to restock.

Follow what George is saying. He's done it in a small pond too.

Weekender, I restock HSB each year to replace estimated numbers lost due to harvest and fish loss due to our extreme Texas heat and drought conditions.
I call it a” stocking ladder”.
IMO a ¼ acre pond is as much or more fun than a large pond or lake, and muvh easier to manage. You mention that the size and depth is ot negotiable but dig as deep as possible.

The most important factor for successful HSB program is water quality -
I am surprised no one has recommended a test.

The other factor is HSB susceptibility to stress due to high water temps and fishing pressure. You likely know that all fish will die if not landed quickly, resuscitated and released - if for table fare use light tackle and have more fun with the fight. They are a fantastic spoart fish and will fight to their death on light tackle but I have lost only one over many years because I know how to fight a fish. If they go belly up in hot weather, I resuscitate in a O2 live well, but not a problem for you if your fish will be harvested anyway.
I just don’t fish for them when water temp is over 80 degrees - it’s too hot for me as well!

Another factor is budget consideration - you say you have a well and that is a BIG plus with our current drought conditions.
That also means you have electricity so you have options for aeration if you choose. If you are a DIY guy - you have options - if you have deep pockets the subject is wide open..

Our 1’4 acre pond is too far removed to have aerations but has a remarkable fish survival rate in spite of no aeration, but that another story for anther day. Hand feeding only and HSB to 4-5 is not unusual but will not grow as large as in large wter body. Don’t forget the CNBG - you can grow some giants if properly manged.

HSB can be forage trained on CNBG and when overpopulated can be successfully by adding LIMITED predator control.

I have written much about this subject, some unconventional and controversial, and hate to have to write it all over again. It may be easier than trying to find it with a search that I am not inclined to do. Review my posts and see what you can find.

Back to water quality - HSB DO NOT LIKE nor do well in acidic water!
You mention you are east of Tawakoni which IIRC is marginal Post Oak Svannah and not in Deep Piney Woods E. Texas so water should be OK.
Both ZEP and FireIsHot are in same general area and know the area well and will chime in very likely.

I’ll spend some time today if you are truly interested in HSB and CNBG but have other priorities timewise if your interest is only casual.

Below are a couple of photos of HSB we picked up from Overton Fish Farm yesterday and HSB previously caught from our small pond.
George Glazener

george1

I will likely fish the pond in the heat of the summer will this be a problem other than using care when landing HSB? With that being said I'm on the fence between CC, HSB. Thanks for all your advice guys. This pond stuff is kind of addicting.

It is very simple to rig up a O2 live well system so no problem fishing in the heat of summer if commitment to learning and practicing proper care,
You mentioned primary goal was for your son to fish and personal recreation. Proper fish handling and kids don't mix, based on teaching two generations of them how to fish...
G/

George, isn't that why you recommended restocking annually? To replace fish that didn't make it? I agree with you and hear what you're saying. 90% of fish that kids catch are better off going to the table than back into the pond.

Personal thoughts here, but I think getting a kid hooked on fishing is worth restocking that small pond even a few years in a row.

Yep, restocking a non-reproducing species is a necessity and what I call a "stocking ladder".

Weekender, here's an info link to managing a small pond for HSB.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=26707&Number=341809#Post341809

Some good info for sure. I might mix CC and HSB. I'm sure I'll be restocking yearly and harvesting fish big enough to justify filleting.

weekender....

I am 4-5 miles from the Lake Tawakoni dam.

Welcome to Pond Boss.

Zep

I have property near Thousand Trails off county rd 1472. I've removed over 110 cubic yards of trash, now I'm having a pond dug.