Greetings Pond Boss members! I am a new member, and new to the pond world. I have been scouring this site for the last few months learning and gathering information. I would love some suggestions on how I should stock my pond right, the first time. I am located in NW North Carolina. The pond was completed and filled this December. It is about 1.5 acres, and an oval shape. The west side of the pond is roughly 5' deep, and the east side is 10' deep, gradually graded across it. I have three deep holes roughly 8' wide by 15' long arranged in a triangle shape in the center, that are 18'-20' deep. The bottom is mostly river rock and loamy sand. I purposely left the bottom roughly graded with deep dozer tracks throughout to add some terrain, along with some 3'-4' boulders throughout. It is fed by a mountain creek, getting about 170,000 gallons of fresh water per day, and the same exiting through drain pipes. I am originally from Michigan, and YP has always been my favorite pan fish. So my goal with this pond, is to harvest 100-150 lbs of YP per year for eating. Everything else in the pond will be to support that. My thought for stocking was this spring to stock 20lbs GS and 20 lbs FHM. Once they have spawned and have been established, release 400 YP, ranging in size from 3"-8". The following year, I would release a predator fish. I am still on the fence, but I would prefer WE, even though I know they can't reproduce. I am not a fan of eating bass, so SMB and LMB are my least favorite options. I have learned about HSB from here, so if that fish does better in my region it may be an option. Once the forage base and YP are established, I think I would introduce RES and crawfish. I am not opposed to BG, I just don't want them competing with my YP. I have been looking for different fishery options, and I have found these three near me. If there are better sources you know of, I would love a recommendation. I don't mind paying more for a better source that is farther away.
Onely The Best Fingerlings- Hertford, NC
Aurora Fisheries- Aurora NC
Trophy Pond, Hohenwald, TN
Thank you kindly in advance for your time!
Is the mountain stream water near gin "clear"? If so, low fertility water may not support enough planktonic algae and plankton, the base of your food chain required to grow more pounds of fish. I would double the Golden shiner stocking to 40 pounds of 4"+ brooders, with 10-20 pounds of Fatheads, plus 250 Redear per acre all stocked at the same time early in spring, Then next fall, if available, stock 800 Yellow Perch ~4" plus 20 pounds of adult YP over 7" (for a spawn in spring 2024). You could add 10-15 Walleye and 10 Smallmouth Bass 6-8" IF you notice YP are stunting, or if you add Bluegill. Also, if you add bluegill, I'd suggest 10-15 Hybrid Striped Bass and an additional 10 smallmouth as well. If the water is clear, you will almost certainly need to use a quality fish feeder like Texas Hunter, and a very high quality feed like Optimal or Aquamax Grower if you hope to harvest the weights yuo'd like. If the pond water turns a deep, fertile green, you may not "need" the feed, but it would still help! I think your YP will self-limit, cannibalizing the weaker, slower growing YP, and thriving on the Golden Shiner as the primary forage
