Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Y perch, B gill and SM Bass

I used the search page untill my fingers bled and couldn't find anything on how yellow perch affect Blue gills. I have learned a few facts about combinding 2 of the 3 fish.
1. SMB are not an effective predator on sunfish, the sunfish will dominate the pond and stunt.
2. Yellow perch are more of a predator than prey
3. Some where someone mentioned a perch small mouth pond, but I have Questions about that because of item 2.
I would like to be able to catch 15" plus SMB, but I also want a "pan" fish.
Would yellow perch eat enough Bgill fry and fingerlings to keep them under control?
Would the SMB have enough forage from Bgill, perch, fatheads and maybe shiners?
If these aren't fesiable what is the ideal forage for big SMB? If i don't get panfish, I better get 24" small mouths!

I question if perch are more of a predator than prey. It depends on what prey is available for perch and what predator is present to control perch. Leave bgill out if you want perch to be the dominant panfish. Otherwise bgill will be the dominant panfish. Bgill will outspawn perch and bgill will more quickly grow beyond ideal forage size than perch.

Get SMB that are feed trained, omit bgill, use shiners, fatheads and crayfish; and you will get 15"+ SMB. Don't let the SMB become too abundant or they will decimate the forage. Allow 20% -35% weed coverage.

Thanks, thats exactly what I wanted to know.
And this is the best place to find it.
With the best people to share it.

Thanks to all.

TyW -- I'm with Bill Cody 100%. Do not put bluegills with smallmouth bass. You'll end up with a stunted bluegill population.

The smallmouth bass are so fun to catch that they are being used in more and more ponds around here. Almost always, the smallies themselves will overpopulate and stunt. I have most of my pondowners on a pretty extensive removal program (selective harvest, in In-Fisherman terms). After a few years post-introduction, I have them harvest 12-inch and smaller fish. Anything larger is released. We can consistently produce 15-18 inch smallies under such a management program.

Dave

this is the first time i've read that smallies will over populate and stunt. i've only ever read that they rarely manage a successful spawn in small ponds. what am i missing?

A key item for successful SMB spawning is crayfish in the diet. For the higher percentages of egg hatching proper substrate for nest composition is important. Gravel around the size of golf balls is good. With other substrates the success of egg hatch decreases. Competition for nesting areas with LMB also reduces spawning success.

Given the correct conditions just about any fertile fish will overpopulate and stunt. Population control and management is important if a quality fishery is desired.

I thought smallies and LMB spawned on sand and gravel by fanning out a bowl? Is this true of just LMB? Are smallies nest builders?
thanks for the advice!