Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Trout for food

I went to a seminar at Bass Pro the other night about 10+ bass. The speaker stated that most lakes with trout will have larger bass in it. Do you suggest stocking a pond with trout? What is the cost in comparison to say perch or blue gill?

The cost comparison wouldn't be an issue. All trout in Texas, unless in the far Northwest are on a put and take basis. They die when the water heats up. Then the bass get pretty hungry without a bluegill forage base. I have seen Texans stock trout for winter fishing and consequent forage but they already had big enough bass to eat the trout. I talked to a game warden when they dumped trout below the dam at Possum Kingdom Lake. He told me that for every trout fishermen take, stripers get twenty. He also saw the look in my eyes and told me to not even consider using 8 inch trout for striper bait.

Great question!
Here's some info, to compare, apples to apples.
First, creating a fishery to grow trophy bass requires producing natural food for all fish, then managing different populations within the community. For example, bluegill are the backbone of the food chain for bass. Manage for bluegill, for long term results. Stock the right numbers, fertilize, feed, that sort of thing, to make sure your food chain back bone is working.
Second, make sure of your bass numbers and genetics. No genetics, no huge bass. Too many bass, few large bass. So, selective harvest is crucial.
Third, diversification of the food chain, to grow giant bass, is key. This is where trout may play a role.
For a long term diversified food chain, I like to use redear sunfish, both species of shad, even some native species of fish, especially small suckers, that sort of thing. Golden shiners can even play a role.
But, guess what is the favorite natural food for a giant bass in a recreational lake?
Bass.
That's right, other bass. You see, a 22 inch bass can wolf down a 12 inch bass. Big bass have big appetites. They like to eat big, and not as often. Too much energy is expended chasing smaller offerings, so big bass feed big. Keep that in mind.
Stocking trout to feed bass is considered supplemental, over and above natural foods, grown inside the lake.
Here's how to decide.
I have one customer in particular who likes to supplement his fish all year. Here's his thinking...(keep in mind this guy has an unlimited budget...his goal to to set a new state record for his state, and he doesn't want money to keep him from it)
He can buy Louisiana crawfish for $1.00-1.25 per pound in the spring. Or he can buy bluegill for $25/pound, minnows for $10/pound. So, he buys crawfish, to give all his bass a good feeding. He does that each summer, early in the summer, after his bass have spawned. Then, he has made a deal with a baitfish dealer for September. He buys a mixture of "pond run" fish, small green sunfish, golden shiners, small goldfish, for $4.00 per pound, for a 1,000 pound load.
Then, in December, he buys 1,000 pounds of rainbow trout, 8-10", to stock into his 8 acre lake. He picks that size rainbow trout because they will fit only into the mouths of bass at least 16 inches long. So, trout go to feed his trophy bass.
Essentially, this man spends $10,000 a year for supplemental forage for bass.
For what? Keep in mind, bass gain at the rate of 10 to 1. That's 10 pounds of feed to create a pound of bass.
He's trying to grow big bass, huh?
What's his biggest bass caught so far? 11.5.
Is it worth it? He thinks so.
He has told me several times he has spent much more than that just trying to catch fish that big in the wild.
Hmmmm.....all the while, he has three feeders consistently tossing morsels for native baitfish.

Pretty inefficient. Any updates on whether he ever beat the 11.5 lb bass? In what state did this gentleman reside?

It's good to see people going thru the old threads. To me, that means that they are doing a bunch of learning on their own.

I agree 100%. There is a wealth of info here and I sure hope everyone will make use of the resource. The archives is a good place to start and the search feature does work. If you need help plese ask and we can show you.