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The communications I had with the DNR/DEQ in MI about HSB was that if your pond had no connection inbound or outbound to another water trail leading to another body of water then HSB are OK. They are not on the prohibited list. It doesn't make sense to me to have this gray area of fish that are not necessary mentioned as allowed or recommended and at the same time not prohibited either. Tilapia fall in that same category where it seems they want their official policy on Tilapia to be purposely suppressed but yet keep them off the prohibited list as well.

I would love to see how your RES do. If you can overwinter I may try again (and now I know where I can get some too smile My initial stockers did not survive long. I think I had one winter and 2 summers with them but by the 2nd winter they didn't make it. My pond isn't as deep and the last winter had much more snow cover and less sunshine.

Without our more mild winters lately they might do well.

Post more pictures if you happen to catch any larger 'bluegill' and we can see what they are

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If it were my pond that had the apparent high number of YOY RES AND I had access to a nearby mature SMB fishery, I would definitely make an attempt to get a few 8"-14" SMB for transport to my pond as tools for consuming small sunfish be they RES or possibility those unwanted BG. Temperature Stressed YOY RES would be very easy catch food for predators big enough to eat them. The main negative of doing this IMO would be the larger SMB might eat a few of the 4"-6" stocker smallies.

When holding and transporting a few mature SMB be sure to have ample water for hauling to minimize stress as mostly low dissolved oxygen on the smallies that had already been stressed due to the angling and physical handling. One does not want to go to all the trouble of going and catching a few smaller bass and then have them die after restocking. IMO one cannot have too much water for hauling mature fish. IMO 10 gallons of bubbler aerated water minimum for EACH fish would be adequate IMO for holding and hauling them for 1 to maybe 3 hrs. Adding one pound of non-iodized salt to the hauling water of around 40 gallons will help reduce hauling stress. A plastic barrel with the top cut off or a large plastic garbage can would be good transport containers. You can put a garbage bag liner in the container & tie it shut to keep the water from sloshing out of the container.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/04/24 07:38 PM.

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I went and got smb and a few more perch from Ron today. 20smb and another 25yp. I met esshup while I was there as he was getting smb as well. They were a bit smaller than I had anticipated so I’m worried about bucket stocking bigger smb right now and losing some that I just stocked. I think I will wait till next year to see what it’s looking like. If true res I may lose some over winter and may not have an issue.

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JoshMI You mentioned They were a bit smaller than I anticipated so I am worried.... " Are you saying they being smaller was referring the to YP? What sizes were both of the species that you stocked on Saturday?


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Good to meet you JoshMi!!

Bill he's talking about the YP. They were 21/2"-3" Max (I measured them).. I was giving Ron a hand bagging fish for the customers to take home. JoshMi. did they all make it O.K.? I finally pulled in the door tonight just as it was getting dark out and my 7am Delivery tomorrow morning called and wants me to get there by 6. And he's 90 miles away.........

'night ya'll!!!!


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
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Bill/esshup I did get mostly smaller smb as well. 3-4” range I’d say. The ones he netted ranged in size prob 3-8” but most of what he had left for me were the smaller size. I’m going to say 6-8 we’re 5”+ and the rest were 3-5”. He was netting the pond again as I was leaving, I’m kicking myself now for not staying and buying 10 more of the larger ones out of that net.

Eshupp- I had 2 perch that were not doing real well when I released them but they either eventually swam away or sank. one was really struggling to keep itself upright the other was just kind of hovering near the surface of the pond. Everything else seemed to swim off fine. All the smb seemed good

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JoshMI - Please be sure to keep us updated about the pond's progress, especially next spring. Also it would be very helpful to let us know when first ice arrives and last ice leaves i.e. number of days ice covered. Make a note as to how much snow cover the pond receives this winter season. IMO those AK redear brood stock are not adapted to nor used to a significant winter which is why I think a lot of southern purchased RES do not survive well in states above the Ohio River especially if they have to undergo significant winter conditions.

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Caught 2 more 6” res last night. All of the ones I’ve caught hook and line were for sure res and had the red ear tab. I fed a few handfuls of pellets and had a bigger fish splash around the food so I’m thinking I had a smb come up to the feed. Not sure if it was eating pellets or the minnows that we’re feeding. I haven’t noticed any larger fish feeding when I throw out pellets just minnows nibbling. Will res or yp feed on surface or do they typically wait for the pellets to sink? What about smb?

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SMB definitely hit feed on the surface.

RES and YP are probably less prone to hitting floating feed, but I have observed both doing it.


Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."

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Originally Posted by JoshMI
Caught 2 more 6” res last night. All of the ones I’ve caught hook and line were for sure res and had the red ear tab. I fed a few handfuls of pellets and had a bigger fish splash around the food so I’m thinking I had a smb come up to the feed. Not sure if it was eating pellets or the minnows that we’re feeding. I haven’t noticed any larger fish feeding when I throw out pellets just minnows nibbling. Will res or yp feed on surface or do they typically wait for the pellets to sink? What about smb?

In my observation my LMB and SMB hit the surface hard feeding on the minnows and CNBG that are feeding on the pellets. I have seen the bass sitting below the surface eating the sinking pellets but they never eat the floating stuff.
The SMB will bounce off the dock, jump on the bank, fly threw the air to eat a baby fish.

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Getting non pellet trained RES and YP to eat pellets at the surface is a challenge that requires diligence and patience. The best success reported here and by others of getting RES to eat pellet food on the surface is to use Optimal bluegill food (2 sizes available) that is composed of a large percentage of short worm like pellets. The pellet flavor shape reportedly appeals to RES feeding habits. Bruce Condello swears by the food for getting RES to eat pellets. If the YP were feed trained when purchased they and many other species will often be attracted to the feeding area by the minnows working on the pellets. I have found that YP are much more likely to eat pellets at the surface from when the sun hits the horizon until darkness (the crepuscular period) . The closer to darkness the better the YP will feed at the surface.

One trick to get RES, YP & bass to eat pellets is to make the pellets moist and moldable as rolled / oval shaped pellets that sink. This type of food has the excellent flavor and texture of live food and is very readily accepted by most any fish. It takes extra time to do all this,, but the benefits of creating pellet eating fish far out weigh the time involved. I regularly hand feed moist food to all my fish. It does not take long each night to soak food for the next day's hand feeding. Another BIG benefit to the moist food is you can mold it onto a hook whenever you want to catch a fish. My prior posts have talked about softening food and there was my article in PB mag about doing it,

May June 1998 special pellet feeding issue.
The Softer Side of Feeding Fish By Bill Cody

Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/15/24 09:08 AM.

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Thanks all, I have tried soaking them but have never rolled them. I will have to try that. I do typically try to feed closer to dark. I get a lot of minnow activity but not much for bigger fish. IM hoping these smb I just put in come up for feed or minnows on the surface as it’s always fun to watch!

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For molding the pellets, they have to have just the right amount of moisture for the correct soaking time to get them to shape and roll well like modeling clay. Too much moisture and they are mushy and not enough moisture they will not mold well into shapes that hold together well. Practice makes perfect. For the moistened pellets that are too firm, they will grind real up real quickly and well in a blender to make ground feed for the minnows.

Cheap fish pellets from box stores will not soften properly for softening and shaping, However they as low cost damp pellets will work well for grinding to feed minnows. Pellets for shaping need to have the higher protein content to form a relatively firm texture.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 10/17/24 05:42 PM. Reason: changed mold to shape

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