Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Stocking minnows ??

I have a new pond that's around 2&1/2 acre and 18 feet deep
This spring I will stock it with CC & HBG
There is lots of cover in it like stumps,cedar,pallets & trees
The advice I'm looking for is how many pounds of fat head minnows
Should I put in,keeping in mind that the pond is not full yet (1/2 full as of today)so there is
no natural food source yet and I will have a auto feeder in place

Well I found on MDC web site
They say to stock 300 to 500 per surface acre

That seems like it would be a little light to me
for a new pond
What do you guys think

Hi Bricky

I think you are underestimating the fecundity of the FHM. I would suggest adding fish after you've allowed your forage to become established and reproduce a few times. 100 FHM in a pond free of predators would result in tens of thousands in 6-8 months. I personally stocked about 10 dozen in my 3 ac pond and after a year had enough to walk across the pond on their backs. If you're in a hurry to stock fish this Spring instead of waiting until the Fall, you can always bump the qty. - and in that case you could go 500-1000/acre. I think you're fine with 100 adults/surface acre if you're allowing them time to pull off a few spawns. I would personally wait on stocking any other fish, establish my forage base with as many layers [species] possible, allow them 6-8 months to become established, then begin my fish stocking plan.

I would also have spawning habitat in the pond that is taylored to the specific forage fish species.

Young CC and HBG will eat minnow fry. Thus it is best to do as TJ and esshup suggest stock the fatheads in the early spring Mar/Apr then add the fingerling CC & HBG in mid summer Jul or fall Sep-Oct. If you stock the CC-HBG in spring Apr-May then as TJ suggests increase the numbers of fatheads to the 500-1000/acre (2.5-5 lbs/ac)

Also, GSH will eat FHM minnow fry.

MDC is the one who said 3-500 not I
I have ordered 15 pounds at four pounds per 1000
So that's Round 3750 minnows
I only plan on stocking 200 8 to12 in. CC
And 200 HBG at 5 to 7 in.
Now the minnows will go in four weeks befor the fish
and with lots of cover I would think the minnows will spawn before
they get wiped out

Any other forage plans [other minnows, shiners, crayfish, shrimp]? I fear the FHM won't last long, and establishing a multilayered forage base is a good practice...will you be feeding your fish via pellet program?

It was heavy with frogs last year but that's all
I have seen a lot of some kind of black beatle
Looking bug
Yes I'm getting a auto feeder set up before I
Put any fish in

I know it's not the ideal way of starting out
but with the drought it's been a year
And a half just getting to this point of water
depth so I'm getting a little anxious to get thing s
going

Fatheads generaly do not breed until April in most areas and stop breeding around September. Females generaly need atlast 4 and up to 6 months after hatching before they will be reproductive. That means most of your hatches production during a breeding season will not reproduce until the following season.

Bricky

I can imagine how hard you've been chomping at the bit with a new pond excavated followed by one of our worst droughts ever! I understand the feeling of getting things rolling ASAP - we've all been there. We have thousands of years of collective experience here, and we all started right where you are now, and we're simply urging some more patience, if you can manage it, and think about pushing stocking of your CC and HBG until late Summer or Fall. While I realize those months may seem an eternity, your fishery will benefit by allowing your forage base to reproduce and multiply several times in that timeframe.

I would also consider stocking additional forage over the next few months, maybe something as simple as crayfish which can help feed the CC and the HBG will hammer their YOY.

It's good you plan on feeding fish with a pellet program - both HBG and CC will take to pellets readily and grow fast if you feed them a high protein pellet derived from fish meal like Purina AquaMax.

Are you thinking about other species of fish, or is this a CC/HBG only fishery?

Yes CC and HBG is it for now
Maybe in a couple of years I'd like to try
a few black crappie but with this size pond
I'm a little leary of that
You guys all have great advice I have no doubt
I just need to mull it over now.
Thank you

Sounds like a cool project, your HBG should grow to gigantic sizes with little competition. Congrats again on the new pond...exciting times with a blank canvas.

Bricky...I would suggest 25 pounds of fatheads and another 10-15 pounds of golden shiners, cutting back the CC to no more than 75 too unless you plan setting up an automatic feeder for them...the shiners would help feed the CC...I don't thing HBG would provide the forage for them and once the originally stocked HBG are gone, you will likely have an abundance of small, GSF leaning offspring left.

With 2 acres plus and if not intended for tablefare only, I would personally go with a more tradition LMB/BG/CC mix and still keep the shiners andd fatheads....100 LMB, 800 BG, 200 RES, 15# FHM, 10# GSH and 50 CC

I like your plan Rainman. bricky, the CC's are major predators plus food hogs( and they are harder to catch if they've been caught before). I would think about backing off of some CC's and maybe put some walleye or perch in (good eating).

We have a friend that just had two ponds dug out due to the drought drying them completely up. We have had some rain and snow that has put water in both of them.

Would it be wise to go ahead and add the FHM and BG now, and add the LMB, Crappie, etc this fall or next spring (if I can keep them from doing it early)?

I have been trying to explain to them to wait and not transfer fish as I found out the hard way but since they are not my ponds I can only give advice.

Please help.

Thanks

yes, but unless the ponds are over 20-30 acres I wouldn't add crappie.

I have tried to point that out, but he is and older (more experienced gentleman) than I am so not sure he will take my advice but I will try.

My main concern is when to add the FHM, (shiners maybe) and when to add the BG, LMB, BCP, CC.

At this time not sure what all he wants but like most people love to catch and eat crappie and they fish many ponds that have them at decent sizes.

I just want to at least get the forage started for them.

Stock forage immediately, allow them at least 6 mos to reproduce and multiply - better off waiting a year. Shiners require vegetation to spawn, make sure it's there.

I will probably go with FHM and BG, should I try to get larger bluegill so they will spawn this summer so the LMB can be added this fall?

What size of each fish would you recommend at this time?

I am thinking 1 pond may be up to 1/2 acre and the other may be 1-2 acres.

How many FHM and BG should be added to each?

What does the water temp need to be for FH to start to reproduce

From the archives http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=115165#Post115165 Start at 60.8 F

Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

Physical Description:
· Somewhat deep and compressed body
· Dorsal fin origin above or a little behind pelvic fin base
· Medium-sized eye
· Small, terminal or slightly subterminal mouth; short, blunt snout
· Straw-olive or brown back, silver side, silver-white belly
· Faint dark side stripe
· Breeding male somewhat yellow in color

Similar species:
· Bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus)

Mean body size:
· Adults are 40-60 mm total length

Habitat:
· Warm streams in pools and in ponds and lakes


Food Habits:
· Insects, detritus, and algae

Reproductive Habits:
· Mature in 1 year
· Spawning occurs May through August in water 15-32°C
· Fecundity is 6,803-10,164 eggs per female

Population Status, Economic, or Ecological Importance:
· Popular as a bait fish

What kind of manmade structure or vegetation would work for Shiners if the ponds are new?

I thought someone had mentioned cedar trees or something like that just wanted to be sure.

Also the fish truck will be through here soon so I am trying to get a friend to stock some FHM in his new ponds that were just dug out a few months ago.

How many FHM should he stock and what else should I put in now. RES and BG or HBG?

What sizes of each?

I told him to wait until this fall or even next spring to add his LMB assuming he goes that route.

He may want to stock some CC.

He has asked me what he should do so I thought I would get a good plan from the experts on here.

Thanks