pond stocking -- who's savvy here?

[Unregistered2013]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i have a 3/4 acre pond, and am looking at the following package --

3/4 ACRE POND APPROX.SIZE 180' X 180' OR 204' DIA.
75 PERCH
75 BASS
75 CRAPPIE
150 SUNFISH
20 CHL. CATFISH
10 KOI
150 SHINERS
2000 MINNOWS ROSEY RED & BLACK MIX
2 QT. DAPHNIA
75 ASSORTED SNAILS
20 FROG TADPOLES
15 BAGS & OXYGEN
TOTAL $819 NY Residence add 8% sales tax


thoughts?

i don't eat fish, so they'll just live them a happy little life there --

-- here's the site --

http://www.smithcreekfishfarm.com/

e

 

[MadReferee]

Everything you ever wanted to know about ponds. The TBN of ponds.

Pond Boss and select Ask the Boss.

 

[Unregistered2013]

Everything you ever wanted to know about ponds. The TBN of ponds.

Pond Boss and select Ask the Boss.

i can't get the link to work --

 

[MadReferee]

The link works fine from my computer. Just enter www the dot then pondboss the dot then com.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Erik,
I know absolutely nothing about stocking a pond. But I see your from upstate NY. With that said, if I were you and spent $$$ on fish, I would keep a sharp eye out for Blue Heron. They will make quick work of all those fish. We have a real problem with them over this neck of the woods, which Im guessing isnt all that far from your local !

Good Luck !

 

[jimmy1]

Mornin Erik,
I know absolutely nothing about stocking a pond. But I see your from upstate NY. With that said, if I were you and spent $$$ on fish, I would keep a sharp eye out for Blue Heron. They will make quick work of all those fish. We have a real problem with them over this neck of the woods, which Im guessing isnt all that far from your local !

Good Luck !

Good advice. A friend of mine who lives in town has a really nice yard with ponds, water falls all around lovelly beds. Anyway he has his ponds stocked and last fall one morning sitting at the table having coffee he said to his wife, look at those nice Blue Herrons out in the yard. Then suddenly it clicked, he tore off out side, the Herrons took off and the ponds were empty.. I don't know but I seem to think they might remember that place.

Jim

 

[EddieWalker]

You really need to go over to Pondboss. There was a thread over there on almost the exact same thing. A guy was told to put all sorts of crazy fish just like you are being told, without any reason for it.

When you stock your pond, you need an objective. What do you want to do with it?

If bass are your objective, then you need to establish a forage base for them before you even put them in the pond. Minnows and a type of perch work very well.

You have three types of perch there with crappie being a very bad idea. They will take over the pond and crowd out everything else.

Koi are just a waste in a fishing pond. They don't contribute anything and are very dificult to keep healthy. Koi need fresh water and the love to destroy your pond plants.

Snails will show up on there own. It's a magic trick that you cannot stop. Same thing with frogs. It's silly to pay for them.

My small pond is 3/4 of an acre and it's mostly to raise fish for my 4 acre lake, but also give the kids a place to fish right near the house. Last spring I put in 200 Channel Catfish. 300 Coppernose Bluegill and 3 pounds of Fathead Minnows. This year I will add some large mouth bass.

Those fish cost me $155.

Here's a link to when I put mine in last year.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/77434-stocking-my-little-pond.html

I think you need to find a different supplier.

Eddie

 

[moeh1]

NYS DEC can help you with obtaining advice and the fish from the hatcheries. My FIL did that years ago, I have idea on the cost, but it was very reasonable.

 

[drssg]

Mother nature will stock your pond for free! Our 1/2 acre pond was about a year old when I was bush hogging next to it. The mower was scaring up grass hoppers, which were jumping into the pond, and I saw something snatch one of them off the surface. I stopped the tractor to take a closer look, and I saw that it was teeming with minnows!

I found out that water fowl will carry fish eggs from neighboring ponds, and it happens much more quickly than you'd think. I already had some fish ordered, so I went ahead with the purchase. It was nice to get an initial population of the fish I wanted, but in the end I think it will be stocked with whatever nature wants.

I paid about $300 to stock our pond in 2003, but I cut way back from their "recommended" package. The fisheries are going to recommend high numbers so they can sell more fish. I got the following:
3750 minnows
1400 shiners
100 blue gill
50 red ear sunfish
50 large mouth bass

I don't like catfish, so I cut them. We have tons of frogs in our area, so there was no way I was going to pay money for more of them. Things like crappie and perch wouldn't survive in our pond. I've never heard of buying air for a pond. Doesn't that mean you have too many fish?

We have a few herons in are area, and they never put a dent in the fish population.

So there's some miscellaneous ramblings on the subject, in case it helps.

 

[kossetx]

Here is my advice. Remember, you asked for it.

DO NOT PUT CRAPPIE IN YOUR POND!!!

They are way too prolific a breeder and are also a good predator. You'll end up with thousands of stunted fish 5" long.

If I were you I'd stock 50# of each of fathead minnows and shinners in year 1. Feed them and give them lots of cover. Fatheads are good feed stock and shinners make the predators work for food, so the become aggressive. Both will multiply quickly, at least here down south.

Stock 50 each of largemouth and sunfish the second year. The bass and other sunfish will grow quickly on the minnows but you have to manage them.

Annually add about 50# of fatheads to the pond but add them where there is cover for them to hide or they will all dissapear quickly.

Texas parks and wildlife suggest not stocking anything but minnows and catfish in any pond smaller than 1 acre, but that's no fun.