Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations does anyone ship minnows to California?

Hi Guys!

Does anyone out there know of a hatchery that would ship a bunch of fhminnows to California? I have spent days on the internet with no luck. Buying 100 lbs. of crawdads was easy but the minnows are tuff. I got one referal to a place in Cali. called Proaqua. Theres no phone number and i've emailed three times with no answer. Any suggestions? Anyone? Hello? Hello? Hello???

Thanks! Kevin

Try these guys in CA:

Dutchman Creek Fish Farm
4320 E. Sandy Mush Road
City Merced
State/Prov CA
Zip/Postal 95340
Country United States
Phone 209-723-6178

Or you can try this link and try fathead minnow as the common name:
http://www.aquafind.com/producer/find.php

Any luck with these guys CG? They are less than 100 miles from you.

I am interested in this one too..........CG any feedback?

I can give them a call too.

What's strange is the few listed fish farms in Nor Cal have real problems getting back to people......are they so busy on large accounts they dont have time for the little guy, or are they just non-responsive (bad business practice)?

rhetorical questions of course.

I have had absolutely no luck with Nor Cal fish farms. There are three in the general vicinty of D.I.E.D. and I (one in Placerville, one in Elk Grove and one in Galt). The first two don't return phone calls and the third has had his phone disconnected.

I am beginning to think that I am going to have to buy fish in So Cal and truck them up. I've been trying to buy some BG and some Gambusa (spelling?). I guess when your only spending $500 to $750 you don't warrant much attention.

It's frustrating to say the least...

You guys make me realize how lucky we are here - multiple sources and free delivery for pretty small orders.

yup, you are lucky Theo. pondmeisting just aint on the radar screen around here.

hey jeff, if you didnt see me post this elsewhere its worth repeating......long story led up to me bringing NINE surviving gambusia back to my pond in early May IIRC.....nine little mosquito fish for an acre of water.....when you walk the edges of my pond now (a mere 4 months later) there are literally thousands upon thousands of the little buggers....I really am a proud papa, i knew they proliferated well, but this is rather unbelievable.

all they need are some weeds for cover, they hang out in the shallowest of areas......despite my GSF (and GSF babies ) they are kickin butt......come on over bring a net and a bucket (and a six pack), and I'll give ya some.

Dave, your idea to help your neighbor with fish stocking is an admirable trait, to be admired

Seriously, you can rig up a small inexpensive O2 system with the capacity to transport fish for a trip of more than 10 hours.

You guys not lucky enough to have a reliable source for stocker fish would be able to haul you own with this O2 system.

My system is designed primarily for live well use, but is excellent for fish transport.

If you are interested in details, will be happy to provide.

Thanks for the kind words George.....was wondering how you got those beautiful CNBG home.

i believe jeff's pond is about an hour away, so a couple dozen (small) fish in one or two five gallon buckets should be able to make that journey?? if there are doubts i'm interested in more detail....

D.I.E.D. - I'll take you up on that if your serious. I'll be up there next Thursday thru Tuesday. Whenever you are ready to stock LMB I would be happy to reciprocate. I'm still trying to get my hands either some BG or RES. Either way I'd like to meet up with you at some point.

George - I've been researching methods of transportation. I have a trailer and I am looking at buying some kind of tank that I could fasten to the trailer and then use a battery powered aeration system. The fish would have to survive a 9 hour drive from So Cal or if I can get them in central Cal (Bakersfield perhaps) then it would be about 5 hours. Do you think they would survive something like that?

If I resort to something like that Dave I'll let you know in advance. That way if you want some fish I can bring them up with me.

The link I provided above is the best way I have found to find stocker fish on the internet.

http://www.aquafind.com/producer/find.php

Here is a bluegill producer in central CA.:

J & J Aquafarms
Address P.O. Box 922
City Sanger
State/Prov CA
Zip/Postal 93657
Country United States
Phone 209-875-0477

jeffhasapond, a battery powered bubble aeration system will work OK, which I have used for short hauls in the past, but I am more comfortable with an oxygen system.

A small 20 cu. Ft. oxygen cylinder is only 16 inches tall and has a 20 cu. ft. capacity.
A Point-Four ultra fine pore diffuser, available from Aquatic Eco-Systems, delivers 1.6 cu ft/hr, which should be more than adequate for your 9-hour haul.

I use mine in a 68 quart cooler for live well use, and in a 102 quart cooler for fish transport.

I would check with Todd Overton for further information.
Hope this helps.

i'm always serious

at least we dont have to worry if a couple GSF babies get trapped in the mix huh jeff?

lets confirm through a private message jeff, as of now, i have no commitments that fri or sat. (9/22 and 9/23).

We ship via overnight air...UPS. Can ship up to 2 lbs of minnows in one ice chest. Shipping costs are the main factor to consider...probably $250 to California. 1-866-347-4327 or email todd@overtoncentral.com

Yeah!!!!

Dutchman Creek Fish Farm
4320 E. Sandy Mush Road
City Merced
State/Prov CA
Zip/Postal 95340
Country United States
Phone 209-723-6178

Thanks these guys are awsome!!! they can ship, they can deliver,they will even bag them up and drop them off at my business, they answer the phone,or call you back . Once again Pond Boss has the answers!!!!!!!Thanks, Kevin

CG- Glad to hear you found a good place.

Jeff and Dave- How far are they from you? They have:
Feeder Fish/Goldfish
Feeder Fish/Rosey Red
Carp - Common Cyprinus carpio
Carp - Israeli Cyprinus carpio
Carp - Mirror Cyprinus carpio
Catfish - Blue Ictalurus furcatus
Catfish - Channel Ictalurus punctatus
Catfish - Channel - Eggs Ictalurus punctatus
Catfish - Channel - Fingerlings Ictalurus punctatus
Catfish - Channel - Fry Ictalurus punctatus
Catfish - Channel - Market Size Ictalurus punctatus
Fathead Minnow Pimephales promelas
Fingerlings Micropterus salmoides
Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas

No shipping to California. The plastic and styrofoam is known to cause cancer by the State of California. This doesn't even consder the minnows which accidentally swallow lead sinkers. NO MINNERS FOR YOU.

RPI...Ha...you're not far off the truth.

PFF, Merced is about a 3 hr drive from my place. i'm noticing from the list they dont seem to have varieties of lepomis? too bad. i'm thinking with my current situation (no supplemental water) i'm going to stay lean on the stocking, let the gams and GSF build up, but still want to add RES, and perhaps a small number of either LMB or spotted bass next spring.

Ponds, as Dave said they are about 3 hours away. I found another facility, Speed Tech Aquaculture, Inc, that is also about 3 hours away that does have BG and RES and non cancerous minnows so I'm going to call them.

Robinson, here in California we are only allowed to have happy minnows that have been organically raised in a warm friendly environment. During the minnow farming process the California fish farmer is required to sing Kum By Ya to the minnows on a daily basis. We are not actually allowed to call them happy minnows however. If we do call them happy minnows then PETA will file a restraining order against you on the basis that you cannot prove that the minnows are in fact happy.

jeffhasapond, glad to here they are allowed, in certain instances and notable exeptions. I know they are not allowed in any environment that they might be discriminated against or otherwise harmed by fish bigger than they are.

If the black bass on black bass minnow violence isn't enough, then the black bass hate crimes against red fathead minnows, yellow perch and white suckers, well, it's almost unmentionable. The HORRORS....The HORRORS....The Horrors.

Dave and Jeff- You might call them about lepomis. That may be a old or incomplete list on aquafind.

Thanks alot for all the help. I've got 10,000 minnows being delivered on Wed. the 24th. for $650. No delivery charge.Dutchman Hatchery rocks!
Robinson, what you say is all true.I needed to buy some lead shot for a shot bag used in metal fab. Nobody would ship lead to Cali. Not even Cabelas.So to the rest of you ,enjoy the free world!!! Thanks again Kevin

Wow Kevin that's great to hear that Dutchman is so responsive. Let us know how it goes.

I got my 10,000 minnows placed them all around the pond. They started to form small schools, then the water started to boil, small fish jumping out all around with big silver flashes.When the smoke cleared ,and still 3 days after, I can only see about 500 or so around the edges. I hope the rest are playing hide and seek but I doubt it.

What type of fish (besides the minnows) are in your pond Kevin?