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Hello,

I finished my pond about 5 months ago.
First problem started days after the pond was finally filled.
Algae growth. That problem has been solved.

I added and 1/2 horsepower dual piston pump combined with 3 dual membrane diffusers and weighted tubing for aeration. It's a nice system. I have a 4 inch water well with a 3 horsepower pump. The discharge is 2 inch, expanded to 4 inch pipe going to the pond to relieve back pressure, flowing about 125 gallons per minute or more. Does a beautiful job. I can raise water levels fairly quickly.

My pond is well over an acre and averages probably 12 feet deep with some places dropping off to 16-18 feet deep. But I don't know its exact size.

I stocked it with 2000 coppernose bream, and 500 red ears about 3-4 months ago. They grew like crazy. They range from 3-5 inches now and they got WIDE. They have spawned and I have thousands of little ones all over the pond along with about a million fat head minnows, they spawned like crazy. I have crawfish/creyfish here naturally. The entire pond and into the yard has crawfish chimneys everywhere, and you can see crawfish of all sizes take off from the edges of the pond as you walk around it. They are everywhere.

I'm putting my bass in this fall. Like within 45 days or so.
I plan to stock F1 strain Florida bass. My plan is to stock 50-70 of them. Probably the lower number. But I want to put some Hybrid striped bass in there too. You know to have a variety. Plus the hybrids will get really large and they are damn fun to catch. I'm told that within a few years it's not unusual to hook a 6-10 pound striped bass. I would like to add about 25 of them to the pond.

I was told just today, do not add striped hybrids. Which conflicts with what American sport fish told me. American sport fish is of the opinion that 25 hybrid stripers would enhance my sport fishing. Whereas the local fisheries, says I'll ruin my pond.

What do you guys think. It would be good to hear from those of you who have experience with this type of stocking method.

thanks in advance.






One of the 3 rock beds as we were doing some enlarging. This was taken from a parking lot that was busted up and re-layed. All in all I have about 30 truck loads in three areas of the pond.



Last edited by Jason007; 08/23/14 02:48 PM.
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What reason did whomever you talked to give for saying that the HSB would ruin your pond? With that stocking ratio of BG to LMB, I'm assuming that you are wanting to grow large LMB?


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Originally Posted By: esshup
What reason did whomever you talked to give for saying that the HSB would ruin your pond? With that stocking ratio of BG to LMB, I'm assuming that you are wanting to grow large LMB?


Yes exactly. I'm following American sport fish guidelines. They recommend more than a 10:1 ratio, thus creating a substantial forage base.

They did not give a reason, other than that HSB only bite late in the day. I really don't understand it. I can't see how 25 HSB would ruin my pond.

Last edited by Jason007; 08/21/14 07:04 PM.
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I'd go with what ASF said and don't pay any attention to the naysayers. Don't lose any sleep over it.


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Jason 20-25 HSB will not ruin your pond.
Put 'em in and enjoy - IMHO they fight better than LMB.
I had a 1A pond with BG, LMB, RB Trout, and HBS, and it worked out fine.


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Originally Posted By: rmedgar

Jason 20-25 HSB will not ruin your pond.
Put 'em in and enjoy - IMHO they fight better than LMB.
I had a 1A pond with BG, LMB, RB Trout, and HBS, and it worked out fine.


Thanks for the replies.

Many years ago, I caught a few striped bass and put them in another pond, which is directly behind the newly constructed one.
They were all about a pound, to a pound and a half.
2 years later I hooked into one of them on a rattle trap.
I would have sworn I had a 9 pound largemouth. Turned out it was one of the stripers I had released. It weighed 5.8 pounds. It was wide and fat. Put up a hell of a fight.
To this day , it was the biggest striper I ever caught. She was a beautiful fish. I turned her loose a few minutes later.
I truly believe that they fight harder than a largemouth.

I will be putting 25, maybe even 30 in my pond. I would like to have that experience again one day.

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If you catch one in the summer or when it's hot, try to land and release asap. They will literally fight 'til the death...


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Jason, there are 2 versions of HSB...one grows huge at 40+ pounds and is stocked in large lakes/reservoirs
. the one you'll get top out around 10 pounds with 3-6 pounders being fairly normal. You could probably add 100 or more HSB and not "ruin" your pond, whatever that person meant. HSB have a fairly small mouth gape, so they won't compete much with your larger LMB's mouth and forage size eaten.

EDIT: Thanks George, on your correction below this post. I confused the straight Striped Bass for topping 40 pounds with the Palmetto cross.

Last edited by Rainman; 08/22/14 05:58 PM.


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Rex, I had never heard of the 2 versions of HSB. That's interesting. Where did you get your info? Not doubting you but have just never heard of it.

Jason, I agree with the others here about the HSB not ruining your pond. Too many here have stocked them in ponds your size with no ill effects. Take a look at posts by George1. As he catches and removes them he restocks using what he calls a stocking ladder.

I certainly agree with them about the 2,000 BG and 500 red ears. In Southern ponds, bass over spawn and can quickly reduce forage numbers when stocked at the usual 1,000 per acre.

Are you sure you want the pure Floridas? They have a tendency to get lock jaw and adverse to fishing. And yet they spawn at the huge rates of regular bass. You might wind up with way too many big bass that won't mess with anything with strings attached. That's no fun. Take a look at a cross of Fla and natives. They grow like a pure Florida but are more angler friendly. Texas keeps records of big 13+ pound bass that are caught from both ponds and lakes. An overwhelming number of them are crosses with first and second generation Florida genes.

Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 08/22/14 04:08 AM.

It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Originally Posted By: Rainman
Jason, there are 2 versions of HSB...one grows huge at 40+ pounds and is stocked in large lakes/reservoirs
. the one you'll get top out around 10 pounds with 3-6 pounders being fairly normal. You could probably add 100 or more HSB and not "ruin" your pond, whatever that person meant. HSB have a fairly small mouth gape, so they won't compete much with your larger LMB's mouth and forage size eaten.

According to the American Fisheries Society publication, “Culture and Propagation of Striped Bass and It’s Hybrids”, there are two varieties of Hybrid Striped Bass.

Palmetto Hybrid Bass is a cross between a female Striped Bass x male White Bass and is the HSB that that Texas Parks and Wildlife hatches and stocks in public reservoirs.

Sunshine Hybrid Bass is a reverse cross of a female White Bass x male Striped Bass and is the HSB usually supplied by Arkansas hatcheries and stocked in Texas farm ponds.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no difference in growth potential, given the fact of same habitat and forage availability.

George Glazener









N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




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Originally Posted By: Dave Davidson1

............................................................
Are you sure you want the pure Floridas? They have a tendency to get lock jaw and adverse to fishing. And yet they spawn at the huge rates of regular bass. You might wind up with way too many big bass that won't mess with anything with strings attached. That's no fun. Take a look at a cross of Fla and natives. They grow like a pure Florida but are more angler friendly. Texas keeps records of big 13+ pound bass that are caught from both ponds and lakes. An overwhelming number of them are crosses with first and second generation Florida genes.

Jason, I agree with Dave with difficult to catch pure Florida bass and stock F1’s for catchability.
If your goal is trophy Florida bass check out Camelot Bell Florida bass, provided by Todd Overton of Overton Fisheries. This variety has been developed more than 7 years for catchability and fast growth characteristics.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=377877

I am experimenting with them and have caught at least 5 fin clipped CB in first year and 0 pure Floridas. Last one caught last fall was 2 lbs at 8 months of age. Not fishing for them until water cools down.
Good luck on your program.
George




N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds
Original george #173 (22 June 2002)




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They stocked pure Striped Bass in Cecil Hardin Reservoir (Raccoon Lake or Hardin Reservoir) in southern Indiana near Terra Haute. I know they get big! Indiana State record is now 39 pounds.

The State record for HSB is 22 pounds.

Last edited by esshup; 08/22/14 08:34 AM.

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Yes pure Striped bass get VERY large...30-40 lbs is common on some of the large lakes in AR I fish in the spring. HSB are going to be a lot smaller, but 10-15 lbs isn't unachievable depending on your forage/BOW size/etc.


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Nothing to add to help you with the stocking recommendations, but just wanted to say you have a beautiful BOW.


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Originally Posted By: snrub
Nothing to add to help you with the stocking recommendations, but just wanted to say you have a beautiful BOW.


Thank you. I've worked hard on it. Took over a year to complete.
It has made my yard beautiful. I'm the only guy around here with a lake in the back yard. I have ducks, deer, wild turkey, wild hogs, rabbits, coons, saw a black bear back there about 3 months ago, bobcats. You name it and it has been in my back yard. Everything comes to water.

I've made up my mind on stocking. This fall I will be adding F1 strain bass , as recommended, and along with that, probably 25 or 30 HSB maybe 40. I figure on putting about 50 F1's for a total of 80 to 90 predator fish. I don't know if that will be over doing it. That may be too many predator fish. What do you guys think? My pond is at least an acre, maybe a little more. I don't know the exact size and have no way to calculate it. It's pretty deep as you can see by the photos. Also I didn't skimp on the aeration system. I figured it was better to have more than I needed than not enough which is why it has 3 dual membrane diffusers put in the deepest areas of the pond. All being run by a dual rocking piston 1/2 horsepower pump.

My home is a small country bungalow style, about 2200 sq feet under roof. The pond for whatever reason doesn't look as big as it really is, in this photo, but you can see one of the diffusers boiling the water. The other two are on the other side behind the house. This is less than half the pond and it goes a bit further to the left IE the two coves front and rear of the pond. But it will give you an idea of what I see when I look at my place from the street view. I still have a lot of work to do with landscaping and whatnot but I'm determined to make this place as nice as it can be, for what it is. Not a mansion, but I own it lock stock and barrel. Everything can always be better, but I've learned to live and be happy with the things Ive worked for and consider myself fortunate to have them.

I look forward to more of you guys advice and who knows. Might make a friend or two here.

Also, i'd be interested in comments on my proposed stocking rate of F1'S and HSB.

Talk to you soon. Everyone have a good weekend and , be well.


Last edited by Jason007; 08/23/14 02:48 PM.
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Neat place Jason. I think you'll be happier with the F1's.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP

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