# Stocking a pond



## futurestrader (Dec 10, 2005)

No names please but we have about a full acre pond being dredged from two foot to eight foot with a twenty foot deep hole. When they are done how would you stock that lake correctly?


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

No names? I'm not sure I understand.
You should probably mention what you would like, as far as fish.


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

you should probably have some goals for the pond before you start..


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## futurestrader (Dec 10, 2005)

Its a city pond and I want it active for the kids with big bluegills bass and thinking some crappie. Was thinking redear on the gills but need to get the percent of each right.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

Not much info to go on there 

First know the size of the pond. Maybe you do but make sure of that. I have made many pond visits and my main conclusion is that people usually have no concept of an acre. I have seen "about an acre" turn out to be everything from 1/8 to 2 acres. 

What do you want?

Generic numbers for 1 acre are
Bass- 100 fingerlings
Catfish- 100 fingerlings
Gills- 500 fingerlings (or substitute portion of gills with redears)

If the pond originally had problems with vegetation then you can add grass carp but I would wait and see.

Your other options are Hybrid Stripers, Blue/green hybrids, Waleye, Yellow Perch, Black Crappie, or even a few Muskie or Pike just for fun. 

I would personally fertilize a pond before I had it stocked but that's optional.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

Started typing the last post before your reply.

As far as crappie. Black crappie will work in a one acre pond but I personally would not do it without lots of structure in the pond and supplementing with minnows. Crappie can be difficult to balance.

Stocking Bluegills and Redears both is best. You get large fun to catch redears but your bluegills will still produce enough food for your bass.

Channel cats are fun for kids to catch too. 

For that situation I would get
100 Bass
75 Black Crappie
50-75 Channel cats
300 Bluegill
100-200 Redear
Supplement with minnows

Someone may have a better numbers but that's what I would do


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## futurestrader (Dec 10, 2005)

Thanks that's about what I was thinking and yes it is one acre. Don't know about putting catfish in but maybe a little perch because they are stunted when they breed like crazy.


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## ErieRider (Mar 23, 2010)

futurestrader said:


> Its a city pond and I want it active for the kids with big bluegills bass and thinking some crappie. Was thinking redear on the gills but need to get the percent of each right.


Thought I saw on one of the forums that a lot of stocked crappie will harm the bass population. Is this true??


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## futurestrader (Dec 10, 2005)

I read the same thing unless you keep throwing in minnows for them to feed on. They said black crappie over white but I am thinking to leave those all out all together.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

futurestrader said:


> I read the same thing unless you keep throwing in minnows for them to feed on. They said black crappie over white but I am thinking to leave those all out all together.


I believe that black crappie not producing as fast is the reason they are preferred. Any Crappie, especially mature crappie, will decimate fry from other fish so I suppose they would eventually hinder bass reproduction. It would make sense then, that if you harvest the crappie to control their population then the bass wouldn't be affected that much. It's up to you really but I think adding crappie would add more management issues than you already have. May be a good option down the road; for something new anyway.....

Mr. A


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## keith_r (Jun 18, 2010)

one of the main problems with crappie is that they breed earlier in the season, and are large enough to eat other species fry by the time they start to hatch


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## futurestrader (Dec 10, 2005)

Thanks for the good info I will pass on the crappie.


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