Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Fathead Minnows Vs. Golden Shiners

Located in Oklahoma is there any benefit or downside to stocking Golden Shiners over Fathead Minnows. Why pick one over the other or should I stock both?

FHM are small, slow, and spawn throughout the Summer. They are typically elimininated from ponds 1 or 2 years after LMB are stocked. GSH are larger, faster, and spawn once a year. They will last longer under LMB predation, perhaps 3 or 4 years.

If you are planning on managing for larger bass, I would definitely recommend stocking both of these start-up forage species. The FHM will give small fingerling LMB stockers there first year of meals, letting them grow well during this period. Then the bass are large enough to consume the GSH, which provide the next couple year's worth of easy eating and good bass growth. By the time the Shiners are also wiped out, your LMB will have begun eating the permanent BG forage base that should be well established by that time. It's a great 1-2-3 combination.

If you are going to manage for big bream, I would skip using GSH. This let's your bass start thinning your BG numbers a little earlier, giving you a head start towards supersizing the remaining bream. If GSH are present, the LMB will preferentially eat them before making a big impact on BG numbers.

OKIE, I stocked both along with BG for a year before introducing predators. By the time predators were added, the FH were gone and the Shiners were 6" and spawning like crazy. Led me to believe the BG made short work of them. My LMB from that point forward ran 100%+ on the RW charts. But then...I'm a forage nut, I like adding tilapia & gambusia too...even threadfins if I can get them.

Thanks for the help! I will stock both. I agree forage, forage, forage...