Fish Stocking Options

If you're building a new pond, or currently have a balanced population, several steps can be taken to avoid problems. DO NOT add additional wild fish or fish from someone else's' pond. Wild fish from streams or other ponds may not be genetically pure and may carry diseases or parasites. Remember, you want a fish balance which will allow you to achieve your objectives for the pond. The fish you stock are a long term investment. Don't make a mistake which will haunt you for years. Stock fingerlings from a reputable source. We guarantee our fish are healthy and will survive or we will replace the fish or give you your money back.

For years, most fingerlings for stocking ponds were provided by state and federal hatcheries. Stocking options were limited to bass, bluegill (and perhaps shellcracker) and channel catfish. Now, the available species include: Northem largemouth bass, Florida largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, coppernose bluegill, shellcracker, hybrid bluegill, fathead minnows, sterile grass carp, crappie, tilapia, rainbow trout and others. Government supplied fingerlings were very small, just-hatched fish. Survival was unpredictable and inconsistent. It was necessary to stock the bluegill fry in the fall and stock the bass in the spring.

That is no longer necessary. We sell only fish at least 2 inches or longer. These fingerling fish have already reamed to feed on their own. We intend for you to have 100% survival. You can assume a balanced fish population will be established. Higher quality fish insures you will have many years of productive fishing.

Stocking decisions should be based on your objectives and the level of management you expect to use. Many options exist. The tropical fish tilapia or sterile grass carp can be extremely effective aquatic weed and algae control tools. Many people enjoy a few hybrid striped bass stocked into private ponds for trophy fishing or to control overcrowded small fish. Fathead minnows are excellent forage for predator fish. Rainbow trout can be grown in cages during the winter to extend your enjoyment of the pond. Florida largemouth bass get very large, but are controversial. We are taking a conservative approach and won't offer them for sale until their survival and impact on the environment are better understood.

One of the most popular fish for stocking is the hybrid bluegill. They grow much faster (up to three times faster) than straight bluegill, bite a hook more aggressively even in cold water, and are 80 - 90% males. Their limited reproduction reduces the chances that they will become overcrowded, a major problem with straight bluegill. Because they don't tend to overcrowd a pond, hybrid bluegill can be caught and released. After several years, depending upon fishing pressure, you may want to add additional fingerlings if you find you are not catching as many as you would like.

Small fingerlings are less costly and are usually stocked into new or renovated ponds. They may not produce harvestable fish for 1-3 years. Large "advanced" fingerlings are sometimes available which provide essentially instant fishing, but the cost is higher. Larger, "advanced" fingerlings are often desirable for adding to ponds with established fish populations. All species of fish may be stocked at the same time if balanced numbers and similar sizes are stocked. Budget, objectives and length of time before you can begin catching fish must be considered before deciding upon size of fingerlings to purchase.

In new ponds the initial stocking is very important. The stocking rate is determined by the water supply, pond fertility, whether supplemental feed will be provided and by the objectives you chose. In the chart below, the high stocking level is appropriate for a pond built in fertile soil, which maintains its water level during droughts and receives pelleted fish feed 5 - 6 times per week or is fertilized regularly. The low stocking level is for a clear-water pond rarely fished or lakes over 10 acres. The moderate rate is appropriate in most circumstances.

Stocking Recommendations (fish per acre): Ponds larger than 1/2 acre
Species	High Rate	Moderate Rate	Low Rate
Largemouth Bass	100	75	50
Bream options: - Hybrid Bluegill -Coppernose Bluegill Bluegill/Shellcracker	1,000 1,000 700/300	750 750 500/250	500 500 350/150
Channel Catfish	500	200	50
Fathead Minnows	12 lbs.	7 lbs.	5 lbs.