Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose .25 acre pond

Hi, I have been reading postings for awhile now. I live in Moore, ok and my pond is .25 acre and 12ft deep when full. Right now it is about 7' to 8' deep. I would like to put HSB, BG and CC in it. I was wondering what stocking rates I should use and where in Central Oklahoma I should get my fish. Thank you for your help.

of16:

Is this a new, as-yet unstocked pond? Existing fish populations would greatly impact any suggestions we would have.

Do you anticipate feeding?

How regularly do you plan to fish, and do you want to regularly remove fish for eating?

In small pond like this, HBG to go with the HSB and CC might be just the ticket if you don't mind having an entirely put-and-take operation.

it is a new pond. I have been using my well to fill it. It has 8' in for about 3 weeks now. I do plan on feeding and we do plan on taking fish out to eat.

I'll start the bidding with a recommendation of 200 HBG and a combined number of 50 CC and HSB (CC/HSB split based on your preferences for catching/eating).

I'd stock 5 lbs FHM as early next Spring as is practical. You might want to stock Gambusia at the same time. (FHM are CW-accepted startup forage, many of us like Gambusia aka Mosquito Fish as well. Do a search for Gambusia if you want to review the data and discussions on them.) If you will be putting in small HBG/CC/HSB fingerlings, they could follow shortly thereafter. If you want to stock advanced fingerlings, I'd wait until next Fall.

The floor is open for rebuttals, modifications, and higher bids...

If no one close to you has hatchery recommendations, you could get some ideas on fish sources from PB Mag. IIRC, many of the fish guys that advertise in it are in (North) Texas and should handle stocking in OK (as long as it's not football season).

can I put anything in right now? HBG? When do I put in the HSB and CC

With absolutely no scientific evidence to back me up, I'll recommend the following.

100-200 HBG (depending on how many you wish to harvest).

80 HSB (Cull slowest growing fish to get down to 30 by second or third year).

20 CC maximum.

I'd harvest all of the smallest and slowest growing fish that I could.

Your ultimate total weight of fish is an important consideration that you should explore.

I almost never take guesses at stocking rates because I think others like Theo have a better feel for this sort of thing, but since my ponds are of similar size I thought this sounded like a reasonable early start. As Bill Cody is so good at pointing out, the body condition of the fish will give you a great clue as to whether you are under or overstocked. Healthy, robust fish are an indicator that you can support more fish. Skinny fish (poor body condition) are an indicator that you need to step up the harvest rates.

thanks for the info. I would like to start stocking now. What should my time table be with each type of fish?

I will provide some thoughts about your pond stocking on Saturday morning when I have more time.

of16 - If you were up North with us, I'd say forget about stocking until Spring. Contrary indication would best come from someone in your area.

Do you know what your pond's water temp is now?

I do not know the water temp. It did crust over a few days last week during our winter storm.

Not much behind me, then, in approaching freezing. I think my pond finally iced over today; I need to hoof it back and see before it's completely dark.

freezing over is not the norm for my area. How is the best way to check the water temp and what is to cold to stock in? This is my first pond and I have alot of ?'s. I want to put fish in so bad I almost can't stand it.

I was told to put 10 to 15, 10 to 15 foot tall ceders in my quarter acre pond. Is that about right?

That is way too much cover for 1/4 acre. Two or three well dried out cedars should be plenty. I am personally not a fan of initial stocking during the winter. You have just filled it with well water and I question the water quality/fertility. I'm not really sure that your water will be really fertile until Springtime.

If you just gotta do it, and I probably would, go ahead and put in some fatheads and see what happens.

I would probably stock about 50/50 HSB and CC.

I thought it sounded like to much cover. As far as the CC and HSB was that 50 each or a 50/50 split? How about old Christmas tree's? would that work and how long would you let them dry out?

After Xmas get 2 6ft xmas tress and put them 10 ft apart standing up out in the pond. Sink them while they are green as they are easier to work with and sink. That is enough for a pond that size. See this link about structure.

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=22;t=000022

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000083;p=1

thanks for the info. Do you have any thoughts on my stocking ratio and if I can stock something now?

okie,
Those CC get big fast if your feeding them, OK if your gonna eat them. I put 17, then like 35 then like 50 and I tell ya in the summer they seem to be wall to wall and I got a 3/4 acre. The stripers I have maybe 25 but they eat and you never see them, those CC are gaffoons. My original 17 I put in were 6-7 inches in less then a year those fish were about 5 pounds. If your growing them to eat them go a little high but if your just looking for fun dont go to high. You got some good suggestions about getting the fatheads and mosquito fish in there. I like to eat BG so I myself want the regular BG which breed more and they way I figure between me and the bass eating them, the HBG might not be enough. For you maybe the HBG sounds OK. I would go for the regular ones myself, but I am just a rebel. I am curious to see what Bill suggests.

I'm still thinking on what kind of BG I want. I plan on eating the CC and BG. Do you have LMB or just HSB?

Oh ya, I got a bunch of Xmas trees last year and sunk then two together with one cinderblock. There is always little fish in them and the big one like to hang at the base. I put 4 strucktures of two trees each. This year I want to put more but kinda place them in a line and put a few on the bank, trunk twards the bank. Just a few.

Why not put some fatheads in your pond now, maybe the mosqito fish if you can. I stocked the CC in the winter and they did great, I dont think I lost not even one. I was worried about bass eating them but since it was winter they didnt get them. Spring came and the CC showed up at the feeding station. Those cats are cheap so why not put them in. whats the worsed that can happen you loose 15 or 20. I know how you feel, my pond I just got and wanted to stock something. It was a few stripers, a few cats and 4 pounds of fatheads, this was all in January. They all made it except the fatheads, they were snacks.

I have both LMB and Stripers. I went a little nuts when I got the pond but my pond needed some balenceing so I am having fun with all of that. Plucking bass, adding this, changing that. The funnest thing I did was add 54 trout last month, they are really fun and eat like crazy. They wont make it threw the summer but are great for the winter. Now there is something you can stock right now...!

will the stripers be enough to keep the BG population controled?

Well I am a newbie so I dont have those answers for you but if there eating feed, they might not key on BG as much. Its a lot easyer to eat floating brown pellets then chasing BG. I do think they will eat some, so will bigger CC but not like a LMB. So like the suggestions were about the HBG, it may be right for you. I will learn from this to, cant wait to see what bill says.

I'm looking forward to what Bill has to say too. The thing I'm worried about with the HBG is there offspring. From what I read they decline in quality.

Yup, If you can seine your new pond you can always do that to if the BG get out of hand. Maybe a option. One thing for sure things can always be corrected one way or the other. I guess getting off on the right foot is definatly good though. I am sure you will be adding something soon though. Like a kid with a new toy. hehheheh I just ordered a plane that can take off from the pond.
http://www.parkflyers.com/html/hybrid-air.html

I am hooked bad...

I can't seine my pond. Its to deep. Ya, I'm going to put something in with in the next week or so. I plan on getting a remote controled boat for my pond.