# Number of Fish to stock



## bassangler120 (Mar 19, 2007)

I got a 1 acre pond city pond to stock. I called a couple of different places to have someone come out and look at the size of the pond and its depth to get a idea on how many fish I can stock. I had a few replies from different people however a need a professional opinion(not to be rude to thoes who replied because I did get alot of useful information). I have a tone of 2"-3" gills and a few in the 6" range. I seen a few largemouth 12"-15" and had 2 Smallmouth caught yeaterday about 3lbs apiece. I want to stock some channels and some more Largemouth. I live just east of Canton,Ohio and I am looking to have someone come and look at the pond itself. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Jim


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## [email protected] (Feb 29, 2008)

To get a true picture of the pond a survey would need to be done. Contact ATAC and we can discuss your options. 

Adding fish to a body of water is not always nessecary to improve the fishery. Of course, a management plan needs to meet the objectives of the property owner or interested parties and we can talyor a plan to fit your needs.


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## bassangler120 (Mar 19, 2007)

Got the measurements of the pond today. Found out that the pond is not 1acre its really 1/2 acres(109'x247'=0.494acres). I called a couple places about fish for stocking. This is the lake I posted about before about a kids fishing derby and need to stock it. I am looking for a close number of how many fish to stock. I want to stock largemouth Bass(12") and channel cats ( 10"-12"). This was determined due to a month long survey done on what most anglers come to this pond to fish for. There are a large number of Bluegill present. The lake is overpopulated with gills and most are 3-5" with some a little larger and some smaller. This is a catch and release city pond and a harvest is not permitted due to a long time fight with getting the public to understand that this is a catch and release pond. Up till 2 years ago the locals would show up after the kids fishing derby and catch the good fish( Bass and Catfish) out to stock there personal lakes or just eat them. For the longest time someone would show up at night an take all the catch an release signs down. Now that this is under control they don't want to allow any harvest at all. However I am able to add any predator fish I need to get it under control. So what does everyone think. 

Jim


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

The anglers that fish the pond may want to catch more bass but most fisherman I know don't want to catch a bunch of 12" starved ones. A bunch of small starving bass does make for a fun pond for kids to fish though.

You may very well have a healthy balance in the pond already. If the funds are available, getting a survey from a pro will be invaluable. You can catch, measure, weigh and compare your notes to relative weight charts but a pro can do in a day or two what a fisherman can in a year. A pro will give you a better idea of how the different species are doing and what should be adjusted. A pro will have better tools to catch the fish such as an electrofishing rig or seine, will know how to use them properly, and such a sampling survey will produce results more representative of the overall population in the pond. IMO and IME, for good growth, 25 bass in a half acre pond is plenty. Seeing a mix of 3-5" gills is usually a good thing if larger bass are priority as these are ideal forage size. Oftentimes fishing pressure in small public waters has more to do with low catch rates than low populations.

It sounds like you have already made the decision to stock though and if the lake is going to remain C&R only and based on the information that you have provided I'm leaning toward Channel cat only or channel cats and maybe some Hybrid stripers to provide improved fishing especially for the youngsters. The bass will very likely replenish themselves and the channel cats and hybrid stripers will grow quickly to catchable size and help cull the smaller gills while being easier to catch than the wise largemouth. The chances of channels overpopulating are highly unlikely and hybrid stripers impossible.


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## bassangler120 (Mar 19, 2007)

Hey Pond,

You really make a good point with the bass. I also thought that 25 largemouth would be plenty for the lake. What size and numbers would you recommend for this lake for both channels and Hyb. stippers. I have never ben to kids event where they caught Hyb.strippers. How well do they work for a kids event. Also about the trout in October. What kind of numbers would you recommend for a kids trout derby in that lake. The kids would be keeping the trout they catch. 

Jim


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

It's pretty hard to give solid recommendations as data is limited. I'd say under average circumstances I wouldn't exceed 25 of each of the hyb. stripers and channels. If stocked at this rate, the channels should be removed once they grow to around 3 lbs. and replaced as needed. Channels are cheap. Both are easily caught with a nightcrawler under a bobber. Minnows and liver also work as do rattletraps, inline spinners, and jerkbaits but not as well as live. My 3 year old has caught more stripers out of my pond than I using only nightcrawlers. Make sure the kids drags are set as the stripers fight quite a bit harder than smallmouth. The biggest problem with hybrid stripers is that if the derby will be during the hottest days of summer, the stress from being caught is considerably harder on them than largemouth.

Here's a picture from '08 of one that was stocked in '06. They were supplemented with pellet feeding by hand once daily.


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## lacdown (Apr 25, 2007)

That looks like an awesome fish to be catching out of a pond! Not sure how your daughter would be able to lug that thing in without some help.


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## bassangler120 (Mar 19, 2007)

Thanks Pond.

It looks like for now we are just doing channels. If I only stock channels and not anything else would it still be 25 or can there be more if I add some forage like fathead minnows.

Jim


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## Nymphbouncer (Sep 9, 2009)

Without a goal in mind as to which fish species you want to manage the pond for you will be fighting a loosing battle with a 1/2 acre pond. With a catch and release on all fish, your blue gill population will begin to stunt. Adding more predatory fish may help for awhile but then they will become stunted also. It is a recomendation on all new ponds that 25 LMB and 100 bluegill(not Hyb.) be stocked per surface acre and prior to any stocking you establish a food base of fathead minnows. Adding fathead minnows to a pond with fish already established is wasting your monery in my opinnion. You have the perfect opportunity to manage your pond by allowing the kids to take home alot of those bluegill. All bass should be turned loose or for every 20-25 bluegills caught 1 bass under 12" could be taken home. I don't know how many kids that plan on fishing your Kids Day but you could limit the blegills taken per kid. The main thing is attempt to manage the pond with a spicies in mind. Ask the Fish Mgt section of the ODNR for some assistance


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