Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Golden Shiner Mat under dock?

I've done some searching and quite a bit of reading, know the topic can be beat to death. Just looking for clarification.

BOW is around 19 acres. It has plenty of aquatic plants in it. There is a population on Golden Shiners, but I would like to do what I can to produce more of them.

Would it be advisable to put spawn mats under my floating dock to make another place for the shiners to reproduce? Good idea, bad idea? Best materials to use? Don't bother?

Thanks!

You can buy GS spawning mats. Pond fish require light (photoperiod) to spawn and hatch eggs. I would not put spawning sites/material under a dock. Might have better success buying GS fry by the box and releasing them into a protected area.

Don't know if you are feeding but well fed fish reproduce better and the fry grow quickly on feed.

Thanks ewest. I'm not feeding, just looking for ways to improve habitat for forage species. If they need light I might just give up on the idea and look elsewhere.

Hey looking for input- What type of habitat/feed is best for shiners? DO they like Grass, sticks, something else?