The pond is in mid/central Texas. I will never freeze over. It's 4 acres, about 12-14 feet deep in the middle and 8 feet deep relatively near the shores all the way around. There is some sloping before it gets to the 8 feet. As far as I know, the pond has been there for 60 years and has never been managed or stocked. Sounds like I probably need to fish the pond and get to know it better before I stock.
Stocking a pond
- Thread starter Jlblake
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I realize that you are wanting specific information about stocking your pond, but you need to provide more information about your pond to get worthwhile advice.
How big and deep is your ponds?
What is your goal for your pond?
Most ponds can only support a single predator species and the fish that it needs to grow in size. Do you want a bass pond or a catfish pond, or maybe a crappie pond?
What fish are already in the pond?
Just adding more fish to a pond does not make it better for fishing. A given body of water can only support so many pounds of predator fish. General rule of thumb where I live in East Texas is 100 pounds of predator fish for every surface acre. That means a one acre pond can support twenty 5 pound bass or catfish, or a hundred one pound bass or catfish. When you exceed this amount, the predator fish consume more feeder fish and the predators become limited in how big they can get. A large bass will only eat large predator fish. In my pond, I have copper nose bluegill. In my opinion, they are the best feeder fish to have in a pond. The bigger my bluegill get, the bigger my bass get. I also remove every one pound and smaller bass that I can. My only rule on my pond is that you can never though anything back into the pond after you catch it. Removing small predator fish is very important for the remaining fish to grow.
Knowing what you have in your pond is critical before you can decide what to add to your pond.
It takes years for a fingerling to grow into a fish that is fun to catch. Some fish are more fun to catch then others. Since your goal it to have a fun pond with a lot of fish to catch, it's going to be important to know what region of the country you are in. Small mouth are fun to catch as are trout and talipia. Large Mouth bass are my favorite fish to catch, but the catfish put up a bigger fight and are more exciting to catch. Bluegill and crappy are probably the easiest and most fun to catch, but you don't get much out of them if you want something to eat, and crappie are horrible at over populating a pond.
When I stocked my pond, I put in feeder fish the first year. Fathead minnows and copper nose bluegill. My pond is 4 1/2 acres and if I remember correctly, I put in ten pounds of fish per acre to get it started. The following year, I put in the bass and catfish. I later learned that having two types of predators was a mistake if I wanted really big bass. The bass where from a trophy pond that I had access to with a history of ten pound bass coming out of it. A friend and I caught about 50 one pound bass from that pond and let them go into my pond over the course of about six months. Two dozen channel catfish where caught from my smaller 3/4 acre pond and released into my bigger pond during that same time. Since the, yellow catfish and green sunfish have been caught in my pond. I cleared the trees and dug my big pond, so there is no way that they where there before. The pond is fed by rain run off over many acres of pasture and wooded land. Those other fish got there by birds. There is no way to know what is in there now, ponds have a way of doing their own thing over time.
Just adding fish to a pond is a huge waste of money if you don't know what you have. Odds are very high that if you have any predictor fish in your pond right now, that they will eat 100% of everything you stock your pond with within a month. If your pond is over populated and the predators are stunted, then they are hungry. Fish that have never lived in a pond, or had to survive against predator fish are easy picking for the existing fish.
Tree Hugger
New member
Sounds like a wise decision. Sometimes I wish I hadn't put fish in my pond. The frogs and salamanders suffer for it. I like the cattails as they provide habitat for numerous species and especially red wing blackbirds which are a joy. I keep them contained in areas. I have a sickle on a 6' handle. If a cattail trys to colonize outside the area I reach out with the sickle and cut it below the water line. A couple times and it dies. A cattail cant live without the green above water. Ponds are awesome, enjoy.
I'm about two hours south/southwest of Tyler. The fishery folks shocked the fish and took a sample. I've attached two pictures of fish and two of the pond. There are catfish, bass, bluegill...they didn't assess what they think the overall population is though or the proportion of each. As you can see in the pictures, there are some nice fish in it. The pond may not need anything at all. I have a well that will be used to maintain the water level going forward. The pond is very low currently (3 ft). Several of the fisheries advised that stocking should take place in early springtime. If I don't stock soon after closing, I'll probably need to wait a year...or stock feeders first like you did.
Trillium Farm
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When stocking, besides sport-fish you MUST also stock for pond health, so you need sport-fish + carp (goldfish or koi or shebankan)+ catfish, these will keep a good balance.
3gunr
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lOOKS LIKE A VERY NICE PLACE. ENJOY THE FISHING.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
Looks very nice. Get a boat and start fishing. I found that the catfish bite best at night time, and it's best to have a deep sea rig for them because they snap everything I have up to 15 pound line like it's nothing. With what I see in your pictures, stocking more fish is a waste of money. Managing what you have to improve the quality of your fish should be your goal.
This is the biggest catfish out of my pond at 13 pounds
These are some kids that had never caught a fish before. A small piece of a hot dog on a small hook and the where catching one right after another.
and the best bass out of our pond so far is 7 1/2 pounds that my wife caught a few months ago
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Alan W.
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Ponds are great. Ive stocked mine over the years with bass and bluegill. Tried stocking some catfish and the bass were sucking them up as fast as I was releasing them. Stocked minnows heavily and now have a self sustaining population.
Blue herons are a problem in that they will kill fish larger than they can swallow. Dont even ask about the river otters. Have a resident kingfisher, and I enjoy watching him.
I place a japanese beetle trap over the water a few inches without the bag. The bluegill and smaller bass will quickly school up under it.
Forage fish or lack of is the limiting factor in fish growth.
Blue herons are a problem in that they will kill fish larger than they can swallow. Dont even ask about the river otters. Have a resident kingfisher, and I enjoy watching him.
I place a japanese beetle trap over the water a few inches without the bag. The bluegill and smaller bass will quickly school up under it.
Forage fish or lack of is the limiting factor in fish growth.
Molalla1
Elite Member
Molalla1
Elite Member
That is one fine bass Eddie! :licking: how did it cook up?