Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose 1/4 acre pond digging it Monday

If you can count on rain (I can’t) I would stock the 200. The “normal” recommendation is 1,000 per acre for initial stocking. But, it might matter. Bluegills have amazing spawns.

I agree with Dave, I'd put 200 in.

Any way you guys would go another 50 RES and 150 Coppernose to make it 50/50? The 200 number I am going with coppernose grow better than Hybrids here but they spawn alot why I was thinking 150 and another 50 RES if they look good. I know the coppers will dominate but I really love shellcracker and hope they spawn at some point and give me a great Hybrid with no side effects. I am going to add bass sooner than last time because of the spawing. of coppernose.

Thank yall

I have a .25 AC pond dedicated to male only feed trained lepomis species [NBG, RES, BRES, GSF, GRES]. Optimal supplemental feeding plus fatheads, gambusia, and grass shrimp. It's by far my favorite pond on the farm to manage and fish. I stock an additional 20-25 male lepomis that exhibit signs of great potential annually in order to keep population level as I assume 10-20% annual mortality. My fish average 10" and have some 12"+ that may challenge state record dimensions [although I'd never report one to the state]. Consider making this pond a male only lepomis species fishery - they are an absolute blast. Feel free to reach out anytime to chat, here to help however I can.

Sounds great, especially on a flyrod! What do you feed? Do the GSF grow as big as the others?

Langster, where are you sourcing your fish? My pond should be finished up this week and with the rains we are about to get i might be ready to stock in a few weeks.

The Place to get the Coppernose and Redear if you want them is Whisker Catfish Farm in Bowling Green KY he comes usually once every few weeks. He will be here May 6th and in June. Then he comes back in September. His fish have grown great for me. I have done my ponds different than most, I like to stock redear and minnows first, then add Coppernose a month or two later. I like to stock the 50/50, The Coppernose will dominate when they go in. But I have found they grow faster and bigger than any Hybrid I have seen. It is not to cold for them here either they thrive. I do not stock catfish but several of my friends do, and they all like Ken's catfish.

bob_espert12 Tullahoma if I did it right send you private message, if there is anyway I can help you find fish or help feel free to call me. We do not have a lot of options here, but there are some in Huntsville, Alabama I could share. I just do not like transporting fish that far, except in the fall when it is cooler.

Langster, are you located in Shelbyville, IL? If so I am about 2 hours south of you and have wondered about coppernose bluegill? I was under the impression that they did not do well this far north? These are not hybrids but pure coppernose? Any information would be greatly appreicated.

Shelbyville Tennessee not IL. Big difference it is to cold for them up there.

Yes, big difference! Thanks!

I got the coppernose in last saturday within 2 hours of being stocked they were hammering newly spawned Fat Head minnows. But they will not take the starter food at all. And I do not see them chasing minnows like the first 48 hours. Now I have been feeding my Redear worms every day. At my other pond the coppernose were on the pellets within days and full on in a week. It has been 8 days now and you get minnows and a few RES to take the starter pellets but no coppernose. Should I stop feeding them red worms every day and make them eat pellets or not eat?

Half the fun of this is watching them come up and eat.

I would contact the guy you bought them from and find out what he was feeding them.

Well it took eleven days but they started taking pellets this morning. As they say every pond is different. Glad they taking feed. I never thought I would enjoy feeding them as much as I do.

Wish I was more tech savvy. I would love to post some pictures of the speckle belly that are in my ponds. One thing about them, they are much darker than anything I have seen, almost like a black perch. Some have red ear some orange really cool fish. They fight harder than coppernose or shellcracker. You think, you have a smallmouth on, and they will hit artificial baits too! They love pellets but do not car much for direct sunlight much like RES

If you use the "Use Full Editor" button below your reply it will open up additional options for your post. Click the attachment manager and drag drop your pics in....note that there is a size limit on each pic so you may have to crop them down a little to get them to fit.


Happy posting!