Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Hybrid striped bass and walleye, when to add

esshup,

You didn't mention the size and condition of the YP and RES but to the point of GPughs situation hopefully this was good. The situation of early colonization by GSF is not uncommon. They seem well adapted to reproduction at early age, size, and development relative to many other species but especially in relation to RES and YP. The stocking rates weren't mentioned but this situation reminds of what one could expected if LMB were the first of a stocking to reproduce. The predator would be too numerous to grow large and would be so numerous so as to prevent most recruitment of prey fish (even of BG which are very prolific fish).

GSF reach sexual maturity at an early age and size. Once the production of gametes gets underway, growth slows way down. GSF may also just eat smaller proportions of their weight every day as compared to fish that grow faster. Consumption plays an important role in fish growth and in part this is driven by hormones that regulate feeding behavior. This tendency to mature early and consume less dooms GSF to be small in relation to more desirable fish.

I imagine the pond you described as appearing to fishing efforts that the standing weight of fish was dominated by the small GSF. In essence, the fishing experience is spoiled by the proportion of small GSF in the catch. Even so, it is likely (provided there was good growth of sufficiently stocked numbers of the original RES and YP) that they comprised a much more modest proportion of the standing weight. The problem really isn't the weight but the numbers of GSF. At an average length of 3" they are 50 to the pound. So even a situation where they comprise say 15% of the standing weight of a 400 lb/acre pond there is an astounding number of them (~3000).

Based on experience but not experiments, LMB are a good predator to have when GSF are present (especially with BG) if one is of a bent to have large panfish. GSF seem to facilitate this by undermining the recruitment of prey through predation and hybridization. These situations which very often occur naturally and without much management very commonly produce populations that have a large proportion of harvestable sized fish where the catch is dominated by large HBG and small LMB. In ponds like these, GSF may serve as a buffer against over harvesting of LMB.

But back to the topic at hand ... its really important to get the initial stocking in proper proportion in order to meet fishing objective. When one deviates from LMB ... it may well be much more important. I am reminded of the old saying "Nothing succeeds like success" One has to put the odds in favor of a successful path to year 2 if there is any chance to be successful in year 5 and beyond.