Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose 2nd Pond Stockers

1st pond 2+ years old - two acres - aerated – feeders – stocked with LMB, hybrid stripers, channel catfish, coppernose bluegill, and red ear sunfish.

What would you stock in planned ~1/2 acre pond 2nd pond – no aeration or auto feeder?
George Glazener

I think a Muskie/Walleye/Perch/Fathead combo, that might work well in that 1/2 acre you have.

Maybe a bait pond? For fatheads or golden shiners or some panfish specie. Or koi or something for ornamental purposes. What do you want for it? You could always try a small scale classic combo - largemouth/bluegill/fatheads. I can't think of anything else.

Musky Jimbo?

Musky are the type of predator you stock if you only want one single predator in your pond... ever.

George, what are you hoping to get from the pond? Baitfish or a predator/prey configuration of some kind? How deep is the pond?

Pottsy, pond still in planning stage - primarily for limited to moderate livestock watering (we call them tanks here)
Since we have a healthy 2 acre pond for LMB/hybrid striper with bluegills, thinking more along the lines of forage for main pond.
It will be located downstream from the main pond.
Don't know about depths until further along with the planning but probably only deep enough to survive our hot summers and prolonged droughts.

Pottsy, note the (winking smiley) in my post.

If you want it for forage create the pond with a uniform bottom for seining. You could stock bluegill and fathead minnows with that scenario.

Jimbo - Tricky guy, tricky guy. :rolleyes:

:p Thanks pottsy, I am. Whats your pond situation out in Ottawa? I am located in Toronto, don't have a pond yet, but am planning on having one sometime in the next ten years. Any other pondmeisters you know of in Southern Ontario?

George:

Sounds like you have really nice pond.

I'm still learning, but I too was thinking use it for forage only until I read it was downstream from other pond. My dumb question: If the upper stocked pond ever overflows, will it automatically stock the lower pond thus making any decisions a mute point?

Jeff

Jimbo- I have a 1 1/4+ main pond and a few smaller ones. Never as deep as I'd like but that's what I get for buying a house with an 18" to bedrock property. Lesson learned... Pond first, house second.

There is another fellow on the message board from a few hours west of you.(Rowly) and a couple others from quebec that post fairly regularly.

Jeff,
We are in the planning stage so not sure of exact site as yet. Since original post I’ve had a chance to walk out the area, and now considering damming a feeder creek that runs into the main channel, which would eliminate any overflow problems from the main pond.
Wish we had an overflow problem right now - pond down about 3ft due to extended drought.
george

George,
Forage fish are certainly an option. My experience in north Texas, though, is that most ponds designated to be forage ponds wind up tainted with other species of fish, especially if there's any tie to another waterbody, be it a creek or another pond up or downstream.
With that in mind, I have several clients who manage for forage fish for their key fishing lakes, as an added insurance policy. Those folks tend to push the envelope of bass production, and use their forage ponds to supplement their bass ponds several times each year.
Seining is often not practical, but bluegill and fathead minnows readily come into traps and are fairly easy to catch, especially if trained to eat commercial fish food.
Small ponds have a multitude of purposes. Analyze your goals. Do you want another fishing pond? Want to grow huge catfish? Or big bream? Want a trout fishery in the winter, and something else in the summer? Want a quantity fishery? If so, stock your cull bass, with adult bluegill to support them. Or, buy some bass on feed, and raise a few big bass. Lots of things you can do, based on your overall vision, and the pond.

Thanks to all for the valuable information.
I'll post an update.
george

Forage pond complete!
A little over ¼ acre and on a feeder “ditch” from main creek to avoid contamination from big pond.
Plan to stock fatheads first year and maybe red ear sunfish second year and then ….?
Fat heads can’t swim in dirt – we need some rain ……!
george

Having decided to stock fathead minnow in 2nd pond for main pond forage, I ran across a Texas Park and Wildlife trout stocking program announcement that is currently in progress for more than 70 municipal pond/lakes across the state – an excellent program for introducing urban kids to fishing. The TP&W trout stocking program began in mid December and will continue until mid February.

Recalling Bob Lusk’s (thanks Bob) recommendation for 2nd pond stocking to review goals and options, one of which is to stock trout for winter fishing, and something else for summer, sounded like an intriguing idea since winter fishing in main pond is slow.

What is critical temperature for trout survival for fall/early winter stocking?
What size, cost and availability of trout stockers?
How much growth can be expected with a pond full of fathead minnows?

My options are wide open for future stocking since it’s a virgin pond that is slowly filling, and will be ready for fatheads in early spring and possible trout by late fall/early winter.

Your ideas appreciated,
George Glazener

What is critical temperature for trout survival for fall/early winter stocking?
What size, cost and availability of trout stockers?
How much growth can be expected with a pond full of fathead minnows?

I do a good bit of seasonal trout stocking. You will need to the water to be down below 68 and I would wait until the pond has went through fall turnover. This is usually mid to late Nov in middle GA.

I stock at least an 8 inch trout b/c in most cases they are being put in bass pond. Not sure of source in TX but I sell themn for $2.50 to $3'lb depending on quantity. I sell only Rainbow b/c i think they are more agressive so they can be caught out b/f they belly up usually not until June around here.

Not sure of growth from fatheads but strongly suggest supplemental feeding program. Spend the extra money to get Aquamax 600 or similiar. Clients can get them from 1/2 lb to up around 3 lbs in the mild 45-65 temps. They are great fun and hit about anything you fish with, enjoy.