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It has been raining since we added the YP, and the water is likely muddy right now. My wife through in some pellets between the rain showers yesterday, but there were no takers. The good news is that there were also no floaters. The pond may be as large as 1 acre, so 25 fish may have a hard time locating the pellets, I would think?

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I think trying to feed pellets to 25 newly stocked YP in a 1 acre pond that has a good number of fathead minnows when water temp is in the low 50's or high 40's is a waste of pellets, waste of time, and pellet decay could cause additional FA algae growth. Wait until water warms to 55F-60F in spring before trying to feed pellets. Then add pellets only a few at a time until the perch locate the feeding area and feeding time. The minnows will find the pellets before the perch. Minnow feeding activity will lead perch to the pellets. It could take some time for perch to resume actively e3atig pellets as long as FHM are abundant. It also may require adding more YP to increase feeding competition before YP resume feeding on pellets. Time will complete this story.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/01/13 10:10 AM.

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I haven't read this whole thread so this might be repeat info. When I started my YP Bill suggested I thump on my pier post to help bring em to the feed area. That definitely did make a difference. I hope someone takes you up on your offer, I wish I had documented what has occurred in my pond over the last 6 yrs. Not bragging because I completely owe my success to Bill and Cecil. I Have 14"
YP, 17" WE, 17" SMB and 20" HSB. Again I acknowledge that without the help of those guys I'd probably have a pond full of Carp and Black Suckers.


Do nature a favor, spay/neuter your pets and any weird friends or relatives.
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As long as these YP breed in spring, I think that I will be on my way. Hopefully I will get some significant submerged plant growth going to provide some cover for fry. I suppose I should wait for the YP fry to get to about 3" before adding SMB?

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RAH says "I suppose I should wait for the YP fry to get to about 3" before adding SMB?". Not necessarily. If you can find some 3"-5" SMB in spring of 2014 (May), then you can stock them at full or less than full rate. Full rate would be around 60-80/ac. If only larger SMB stockers are only available, I would wait until fall of 2014 and stock fingerlings SMB 2"-4" &/or 5"-7" ones. You could stock one size or a combination of both sizes at that time. Some of the larger sizes will provide larger bass quicker. Stocking only the smaller ones allows the forage to gain strength of numbers for another season. Larger ones would immediately start eating the YOY perch and minnows, whereas the smaller 2"-4" ones would eat perch from mainly the 2015 hatch year class. As long as the FHM are common to abundant plan on all the SMB to eat primarily fatheads until FHM are in short supply. Stocking pellet trained SMB is beneficial since it takes pressure off the forage fish base while still producing a high quality SMB fishery.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/01/13 08:43 PM.

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Thank you again. If I can get small SMB in spring, I will probably stock at less than full rate to be sure everything has plenty to eat. My only concern would be the larger perch eating the small SMB, but I think anything over 3" would probably be OK?

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Originally Posted By: Bob-O
I haven't read this whole thread so this might be repeat info. When I started my YP Bill suggested I thump on my pier post to help bring em to the feed area. That definitely did make a difference. I hope someone takes you up on your offer, I wish I had documented what has occurred in my pond over the last 6 yrs. Not bragging because I completely owe my success to Bill and Cecil. I Have 14"
YP, 17" WE, 17" SMB and 20" HSB. Again I acknowledge that without the help of those guys I'd probably have a pond full of Carp and Black Suckers.


Love it, well done Bob-O. Gotta see this dream fishery of yours sometime!


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Time for crayfish habitat. When adding bricks as crayfish habitat, how big should the piles be, what shape, and in what depth of water? My pond usually stays within 1 foot of full pool, and our crayfish seem to be mostly the type that burrow and make "mini-volcanoes". Is it better to have many small piles (what size)distributed around the pond, or fewer large piles (what size and shape). Are there other "natural" materials besides rocks, that can be more easily placed as crayfish habitat? Are there any artificial crayfish habitats sold that are recommended and cost efficient? Will submerged and marginal plants work as well as rock or brick piles? I understand that there are probably not a lot of scientific studies comparing such things, but I sure welcome opinions based on your observations. This will hopefully be a SMB pond, and it has FHM, GS, RES, and YP in it from this years stocking in spring and fall.

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No suggestions?

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Send Bill Cody a private message to make sure he sees this.

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Craws and SMB live in the same type areas (rocks). Both like rock piles and ruble (not pea gravel). Quarter to basketball size rock. Concrete chunks work well also and grow stuff ( periphyton) for the craws to eat well.

Last edited by ewest; 12/02/13 02:51 PM.















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RAH, I added 4"x8" limestone rip rap to the top 10' of slope on two shores of my pond along with an under water peninsula that is covered with broken brick and block that extends down to about 15' of water. If you visit my build thread, it will give you some pics of what I did to create ample habitat for the crayfish in my pond.

In a small pond like ours, the goal is to give the crayfish holes and pockets to be able to hide in long enough to reproduce. If they can't hide, the SMB will make short work of them once they are big enough to eat them and clean out the pond.


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With a limited number of bricks, I might be best making a number of small piles so they don't fight so much?

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Try to source broken concrete - it's generally free as those folks digging up their sidewalks or driveways have to pay to dump it. Slabs work great as crays can tunnel under the shelf and remain protected. You don't need piles of it, either, just a couple slabs placed in 2-3' depth every 15-20' would be more than enough in my experience. Don't underestimate your vegetation structure/cover also. If you have abundant rooted vegetation it will provide a lot of predation protection from SMB and other predators. Of course use all the bricks you have on hand, just letting your know concrete works great [learned from Cody].


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I have some concrete also, but it is large and will be more difficult to move due to location. I wish that I had a small, narrow, heavy-duty trailer.

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Contact some small time local concrete contractors and they will bring you free concrete from their renovation projects. As TJ says with concrete slabs you don't really need piles, just areas with pieces laid flat. Flat pieces of concrete also prevent weeds from growing in that area which creates open areas in weed beds to fish - great type of habitat.


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Put the slabs one down and a smaller one on its side or angled next to the flat piece to form good structure (like an L on its back). Like this ___| .

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Thanks - Now I just need to do it! Maybe on ice if we get some.

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Originally Posted By: RAH
Thanks - Now I just need to do it! Maybe on ice if we get some.


Not if, RAH.....when! Gotta' remain optimistic. Bring on that hardwater!


"Forget pounds and ounces, I'm figuring displacement!"

If we accept that: MBG(+)FGSF(=)HBG(F1)
And we surmise that: BG(>)HBG(F1) while GSF(<)HBG(F1)
Would it hold true that: HBG(F1)(+)AM500(x)q.d.(=)1.5lbGRWT?
PB answer: It depends.
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This weekend looks cold. Maybe too cold for a morning muzzle-loader hunt.

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Originally Posted By: Omaha


Pictures are always worth a thousand words. Beautiful cover!!

Here's some ice for you guys... I probably have two inches out in the center already!!



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Originally Posted By: RAH
This weekend looks cold. Maybe too cold for a morning muzzle-loader hunt.


I'll borrow your stand, its never to cold to hunt...


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They often move later after a cold night, so I may go out around 9.

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My pond destined for SMB just appeared on Google maps/earth. I estimated it was 1 acre before and using the area tool it came out at 0.95 acres (sometimes you get lucky!). I plan to raise the water level 12 inches (in small increments) over the next 5 years, so it may come out right at one acre in the end.

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