Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Hybrid Striper Stocking Frequency

Hey guys looking for some advice from any experienced hybrid striper stockers. I just stocked my 3 acre pond in April with (70) 4-6" Hybrid Stripers (the only size and quantity available at the time), and was absolutley amazed to catch my first last night that was around 12" long, on the fly rod too. So needless to say, I'm hooked. I'm able to get 6-7"ers now and plan on stocking 150 more. What stocking rate/acre do you suggest per acre, and how often are you replinishing, every year, every other year??? Let me know what has worked well for you guys. Thanks in advance for any feedback and advice.

I just replace what I remove from the pond every year.

what size are you stocking, and what are your thoughts on your survival rate???

I think a lot depends on what other species are present and what you expect out of those others.
220 (depending on survival) in year 2+ will require tremendous forage support and to me, needs to be culled down to 25-30 per acre over a period of time to have good, continued growth rates.
if 175 survive, other changes will occur that will show up over time. Condition of the HSB should be a good indicator of them having what THEY need. Population structure and sizes of other species will change as well.

Someone previously sent me this below. Do you agree with these predation rates? If they are correct, in theory at the end of next year I'd only have roughly 90 fish out of the 220 stocked, which would equate to 30/acre.

I'd estimate risk of predation from largemouth as follows:

5 inch wiper--80% over one year in presence of LMB
6 inch wiper--65% over one year in presence of LMB
7 inch wiper--45% over one year in presence of LMB
8 inch wiper--15% over one year in presence of LMB
9 inch wiper--negligible mortality.

This

The 6-7" numbers are close to the predation I think I experienced putting HSB into and established LMB population.

What about morts from natural causes, like stress or getting eaten?

Morts I don't see any. Getting eaten is a hard one as I'm trying to transition away from LMB in the pond to SMB/HSB. As for eating a lot of forage, with BG in the pond I hope so, but since they also are pellet trained, they do well eating floating protein.

for whatever it is worth: the pond is one acre in central OH; 13 feet deep full pool 60% of surface area [over 10 feet]; aeration system; american pond weed controlled; some limestone pea gravel 200 feet by 8 feet 3/4 feet deep; 3.5 years ago, in the spring [new pond] started with shiners and minnows then bluegill [regular, hybrid, reds]...late spring hybrid white bass [50] ( 5" average); second year added 20 more HSB and specklebelly bluegill (150); last year more specklebelly BG and 20 more stripers...the pond has 60 stacked pallets for spawning shiners and minnows with Xmas trees next to the pallets; there are swarms of small fry; to boost and speed growth feed the BG and of course the stripers gobble up more than their share (like cat fish, no cats in pond, never)...this fall many of the BG weigh in at one pound +/- an ounce or two and many stripers at 20 inches are just an ounce or two shy of 4 pounds although the 23 inch striper was pushing 6 pounds.
Had to set aside my 3wt fly rod for the 5 or 6wt rod and 8lb leader...those stripers were so fast and their run so hard that the leaders busted too often.

after reading your comment about LMB in the same pond, not going to stock any LMB...was going too...having second thoughts...maybe pond is fairly blanced

my original goals were: one pound BG...accomplished this year (dozens this size0; and 5 pound HYB...accomplished this year (at least 5-6, maybe a few more)

new goal: 2 pound BG and 10 pound HYB

the hybrid BG reverted to green sunfish [some 9.5 inches and heavy]
many specklebelly are 9 inches and 12 oz. these are replacing the hybrids
although there are few female specklebellies, they must have spawned successfully as quite a number of small BG look mostly rainbow colors like the large parents; these are just beautiful fish so if you can stock them you will likely be pleased. they are darn costly however. Jones Fish in Ohio has them.

Any of you with experience over longer periods of time that can comment on warnings and cautions for a balanced habitat for BG and Stripers would be much appreciated.

The fly rod with poppers and larvae imitations make for exciting fishing; those large BG put up quite a fight; the stripers want to rip the rod out of your hands.

I DO NOT have experience managing that type of pond, but have read a lot of Pond Boss.

I believe your risk is that you will eventually get too many BG. Your original stockers may be trophies, but after that you might be subject to stunting.

I would keep good catch records and make notes on sizes and relative weights. Perhaps start culling the BG you catch that are eating size, but smaller than trophies?

You might benefit from a second top predator. Perhaps some saugeye?

It sounds like you currently have an excellent pond. Do you want to start your own thread and get some advice from actual experts (not me) on keeping it excellent?

10# HSB are doable if you already have a feeder for BG in deep water, or have deep water adjacent to the feeder. HSB won't necessarily stay near the feeder, and much like trout, will roam and eat anything that will fit in their mouth. On an electroshocking in our big pond a few years ago, a guesstimated 10# HSB was shocked up near the bank 200 yards away from the dam feeder. I would think your cooler water would mean a longer HSB lifespan then down here. Our summer water temps can be in the mid nineties and 7-8 years is probably our max, but I've got pictures of a verified 12# caught in NE TX ponds. I would stay away from LMB at this point and allow the HSB to be the primary predator, as their smaller gape should allow larger BG to grow unchallenged. My experience is that raising 2# BG is tough, but 1-1.5# isn't. They're a blast on the 3wt you mentioned.

Poppers are fun, and I've good luck with streamers. Flymen Fishing Co. have some nice Fish-Skull streamers, Kelly Galloup's articulated streamers are good, and Lefty's Deceivers will catch most anything. Since you're in central Ohio, Mad River Outfitters always have good fly selections. Brian Flechsig is the owner, and he and his staff are active fly fishermen, and should be knowledgeable about HSB. Yeah, I know I'm giving you advice from TX, but I spent a week with Brian in Montana last year. Solid guy.

Thank you very much Fireishot,
I know Brian from his early days starting up MadriverOutfitters. Most all my fly gear is purchased at his store...His staff have and are go to folks.
Have gone on his guides to fly fish for carp over the years -- a tug-of-war battle...carp on a fly you will remember.

Your comments are just in time. Was going to add a dozen LMB [8"--10"] to handle the growing numbers of small BG [not sure the HSB are consuming enough] but your comments are in line with my intuition...the larger BG do eat the small fry as their stomachs indicate. The blue heron tends to harvest the smaller BG too, and sadly spear a few large BG too [caught a 9 inch BG with a none deadly wound clear through it's upper gut area; the wound was healing or at least it appeared to be. The bull frogs are not as fortunate. The frog population of 40+/- a few dropped to nearly zero! The summer evening frog songs are missed...hoping the tad poles will bring replacements with spring.

Thanks for your thoughts and experience.
Have a safe and fantastic holiday season.

to continue my pre-thanksgiving comments:
have been catching one lb plus BG all winter; December, January, February, and now March; also have caught HSB from 16 inches to 23 inches; when one selects sunny day late afternoon on the windward side the nymphs catch the bass and bluegill...surprisingly the fish will surface and eat floating fish food! using 300 sized Aquamax which partly sinks and 400 which mostly floats...on the warmer days [50F range] the HSB will actively surface feed in the cold water. Now all I have read says fish are very slow and not active; well my current experience [video taped] says otherwise; the water temperatures ranged down to the mid-30ts...this March the water temperature is in the mid40ts...at 24 inches below surface; the secchi depths varied from 30-32 inches to 15-18 inches [dependent in part due to rain turbulence; the shoreline will have active mosquito fish and or small minnows; the pond is full of shiners up to 10 inches [the HSB cannot eat the large brooder shiners and the pallets and Xmas trees help the little ones grow to 'big bites' for the BG and HSB...this year the near 5lbs HSB may push 25 inches...darn it but they now look more like footballs, fat and round.
they are a blast to catch on a 2wt ten foot nymph rod, but only in the cold water as they blast out nearly every inch of the fly line before you can turn them around.
the plan is to harvest the smaller BG and green sunnies [slot 7--8.9"] and push the best BG over 1.5lbs; currently a few have tipped the scale at 1.25lbs...
has anyone is Midwest ponds feed fish in the winter [very light feeding only as much as they want]...
BTW discovered a mink at the pond this winter and research suggests a reason my bull frog population dropped from 4 dozen plus to maybe 4 or five...and the blue heron must have taken 'his' share too. I need a big hungry snapping turtle to balance nature.

Nice report and a lot to digest.

If you have some HSB at 23" now, you've had some explosive growth!!!

On the feed aspect, I think the paradigms are shifting there as to water temps and when fish will take feed.

Thanks for the report. Can you post pictures? In my experience that is too many HSB. Use a stocking ladder and replace what you take out + a % based on what you see. For example, 110% of harvest. The #s size chart for morts came from George and Bruce (HSB whispers) and is very well done. IMO it is a little on the cautious side (mort % are a little high) based on what I have seen.

Here is the thread which I highly recommend!

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=347977&page=1

I have a customer that feeds his fish whenever there isn't ice on the pond and they will eat the floating feed. He doesn't feed a lot when it's cold, just about 1/2 coffee can in a 4 acre pond. It could be the Yellow Perch that are eating most of the feed too, he's not sure.

Both YP and HSB (cool water species) will eat feed at colder temps than BG and LMB. IIRC down to about 39F.