Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking New Pond

I have a new 4+ acre pond in eastern Oklahoma that I'm getting ready to stock. It is 15 ft deep in front of the dam. The fish farm I contacted recomended 400 LMB, 400 BLK Crapie, 800 Red EArs,1600 Cannel Cats, 2000HBG, plus several pounds of fatheads. Is this a reasonable amount of fish or are they just trying to sell me fish. I will not be feeding these fish for the most part they will be on thier own.

THANKS wayner

Wayner,

I don't know what your goal is with your pond, but everything I've read in PondBoss (books, mag, and website) advises against stocking Crappie as they will outcompete the other species for the available forage supply.

I'm a bit torn on the Crappie issue. I'm wavering. But I've heard if there are enough bass in the pond they will keep them ate down. I like to eat them to.

My goal is eating fish and entertaining grandchilren not trophies.wayner

Here's a vote for leaving off the crappie....and using copppernoseBG instead of the hybrids. You will probably get green sunfish offspring from the hybrids and they don't grow well and do overpopulate. Your grandchildren will get plenty of action from the coppernose and the cats.

Congratulations on your new lake, Wayner. Someone more knowledgeable than I will have to advise you on sizes, numbers, when to stock, etc. I personally love our hybrid bluegills. They do seem to show hybrid vigor and are easily the most colorful fish in our lake. You might consider adding half bluegills and the other half hybrids. Hybrid bluegills are normally 80% or more male and are fertile. That means that they may breed with the bluegill females.

As far as crappie, my opinion is definitely in the minority so please accept it for that. If you keep a good population of LMB, crappie shouldn't be a problem. On one of the threads about crappie, there is a link to an article by the Missouri Dept. of Conservation. This article says the same thing. The secret is to never harvest the bass and maybe even over stocking them. You might have to add supplimental bass in the future.

Learning that is very difficult to grow trophy bass and do crappie at the same time!! But if you want crappie have mostly clear water and a little heavy on the bass population...

Wayner, I like your goals...eating fish and entertainment ! Stock it gradually, start with minnows and an 80-20 bluegill/redear split. You might want to avoid the hybrid bgill if you're not going to feed. But putting a few in wouldn't hurt either, it would add to your variety. I would also suggest that you cut down on the number of catfish a little, grandkids and sitting for long periods don't mix well. As for crappie, I say yes. You will have to balance a little more, you may also be forced to fish a little more too...all hard work But, I personally don't want to eat bass every day. Most of all...give your minnows and perch a 3 month start before putting in predators, everything will grow a LOT faster/fatter in the long run.

Thank you one and all. I will now sally forth and stock my pond.
Thanks Again
Wayner