Adding YP when LMB are 12" for high percentage of YP survival would require adding YP that are at least 6" and better 7" long. YP are slender bodied so LMB can eat them at about 1/2 the length of the bass. The pond with trout and only natural foods requires a lower biomass so all fish have enough food to grow not just survive. Before you add the YP I would make a good effort to remove as many LMB as possible to 1. provide more available food for new YP & trout and 2. reduce the overall predation pressure in the pond.
When you are ready to add the YP not that many trout may still be alive. Or if you add a few trout per year the pond will not accept nearly as many YP. Me not seeing your pond and not being able to evaluate the natural carrying capacity, I guess a natural trout pond might have around 100 lbs of fish biomass per acre. Then the number of YP to add will be based on how many trout and bass remain before the YP are stocked. To be on the safe side, I would not add any more adult YP (6"-9") than the number of LMB or trout that have been removed in the past 120 days. More YP could be added if the trout are regularly fed pellets.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 08/08/19 09:09 PM.
