Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose SMB/YP/RES in one acre dug pond

08TR - for those sizes of fish, the percentage that will eat pellets in spring will be a lot higher if you can get them early enough in fall so they are eating pellets (3-5wks) before the water temps decrease to 55F-60F. If pellet eating in spring is very slow, I would buy some more perch (6"-8") maybe 20-50 that are pellet trained. YP 6"-8" are more likely to quickly resume eating pellets compared to 4"-6"ers. They should within 7-14 days resume eating pellets and then lead many of the fall stocked pellet eaters (SMB&YP) back to the pellet eating habit. Sometimes the minnows have to be depleted before feed trained fish return to pellet eating. Shelby Fish Farm in Anna OH has very good pellet eating YP, but ask about feed training feature before ordering the fish. Their blue tilapia are also high quality.