Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Trying to get rid of my LMB and stock trout

I have 3/4 acre pond which averages about 10 ft deep and is spring fed all year long. I was wondering how i could remove all the bass and crappie in it. (these are the only types of fish in it) so then I could stock trout in it and grow them big without any competition for food.

if i was you i'd drain the pond realy low sein the pond then completely drain it to make sure there are no fish in it. how warm is your pond i suspect if you had bass the pond was warm if so it might be too warm for trout. once the pond is completely dry you can just pick up the fish on the ground and eat em. sounds like your gona have a nice fish fry.

Draining the pond is probably your best recourse. Utilizing a large trash pump and some patience. You can then hit any remaining puddles with hydrated lime to make sure nothing is left alive.

I have concerns as well that is LMB and crappie did OK in the pond that it is too warm for trout to live year round in it.

The pond is around 65-70 degrees in the hotest months and even colder a few feet down.The pond is 18 feet deep so it will most likely hold trout but i would like to stock it this october.

nick your right you shouldn't have any problem with water temp. good luck, and update us soon.

I might consider draining it but I would like to stock this fall and I dont know if there will be enough water. The pond is 18 ft deep.

do you have water flowing in to the pond via well or spring. if so it will definatly be full by fall. and if not you don't need alot of water my pond is 50'by20' and 4 ft deep and my trout do very well.

If you are afraid of draining all of it and don't mind the expense, you could call in a pro and he could retonone(sp?) it. The less water in it the less expensive to do it.

Nick, welcome to the forum.
My small pond has some similarities to yours, I believe. We mainly have LMB, SMB, and YP. Water temps are like yours. Cool irrigation water fills the pond from May through October. There are a very few BC and GSF, but neither do well. The LMB are the main preditors and only have been growing to 15". As an experiment, I've release about a dozen RBT; they have thrived. Their lengths ran from 8" to 14" at release. I suspect they are eating some of the smaller bass and perch.
If you don't have big bass, large enough to eat the trout you stock, why not try some trout right away. Add some small number that won't hurt the pocketbook, enjoy them this spring and summer, see how they do, and, if necessary, drain and kill the pond at a later date. You might find that the three species do well together. Just a thought. Good luck, and please post all of your experiences!