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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 37 Likes: 3
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OP
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 37 Likes: 3 |
.9 acre pond For Fishing/Swimming Central Ky average depth 7 feet 11 feet max. Going to have 2 diffusers 2 feeders 1 in 4 ft shallow water 1 in 9 feet deep 40% artificial habitat Structure Pea Gravel and sand mixture on 20% of bottom
What I’m thinking
Stock in early September 2020 All feed trained 100 hand painted blue gills 100 copper nose blue gills 30red ear to get rid of snails 30 Georgia giants Paper shell crawfish. 200 Fat head minnows 3000 100 bullfrog tadpoles 10 mosquito fish
Stock in may 2021 All feed trained 60 f-1 tiger bass feed trained 50 small mouth bass feed trained 20 hybrid strippers bass 20 hybrid catfish 20 channel 10 flat heads 8 grass carp
Thoughts? Any should not be in a swimming pond?
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,972 Likes: 276
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,972 Likes: 276 |
Intended stocking sizes of BG, RES, and predators will be needed for intelligent opinions.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 63 Likes: 3
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 63 Likes: 3 |
That seems like too many predators and far too few bluegill to me....but if the predators eat pellets perhaps that changes the equation a bit.
I'd personally ditch the flatties and add a few hundred more BG/CNBG.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,055 Likes: 277 |
Agree, not enough groceries and way too many predators for .9 acres
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488 |
Your numerous predators will not grow very fast after the 2nd or 3rd year when they "hit the wall" due to lack of forage. Likely the flatheads will be the dominant predators and eventually eat every thing else. SMB will not reproduce and be gone when they die of of old age in presence of tiger bass. Grass crap in a new pond quickly run out of food and will prevent all natural habitat, cause turbidity and lack of plankton. You are better to use tilapia in a new pond rather than GC. Georgia giants will attack swimmers.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8
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Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 8 |
Why would SMB not reproduce? Because of the other predator fish or another reason. Sorry if dumb question. I am thinking about putting SMB in my pond eventually. Currently have BG and FHM. Putting YP in next year. Thinking SMB 2022.
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 15,146 Likes: 488 |
SMB will not reproduce in presence of LMB because smallies go on the nest first at a slightly lower temperature than LMB. Then soon within a few days the LMB go to nest and chase the smallies off the nest. LMB 'intimidate' smallies to prevent them from spawning in pond habitats. Both will spawn in large lakes where social isolation is possible.
Note the large wide mouth gape of flatheads. Once they reach around 30 inches almost no other fish is safe from their predation. The bigger the flatheads get the larger fish they will eat and they get them at night when most all other fish are resting. No chasing necessary - swim up and swallow them.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 07/06/20 08:57 AM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517 Likes: 38
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 517 Likes: 38 |
From previous posters on here, their experiences with Flathead Catfish in small ponds hasn't been great. They are very aggressive and have an enormous gape and eventually will eat out your entire pond. I suppose it could work if you're constantly supplying them with forage... (not sure if they'll eat pellets, but probably not). Looking at your predator list, in just a year, you're going to have over 200 pounds of predator fish in a < 1 acre BoW. Add in all of your other fish, you could be pushing 300-400 pounds of total fish in a year.
Grass Carp can consume 300% of their body weight per day. They can also gain 2 pounds a month. Recommended stocking rates (per acre) are 5-12, with the 10-12 range completely eliminating all plants within 2 years. I might toss in a couple, but until you get a weed problem, I wouldn't go overboard.
"In the age of information, ignorance is a choice." - Donny Miller
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