Stock Pond 101: Fish Stock

by Your Lifestyle. Our Mission.- Pam

Adding fish to your stock pond takes a considerable amount of planning. You’ve already invested in the creation, construction and set-up, now comes the fun part of adding your fish stock.

Knowing what type of sport fish you want to stock your pond with is a great place to start. You can do your own research or give a reputable hatchery/fish farm a call. The hatchery/fish farm can give you some excellent guidance on what fish combinations will work well together in your stock pond. Many hatcheries/fish farms have free consultations, as well as paid fish consulting/development of a personalized program. Your local state department of conservation is available for advice as well.

Don’t be shy about researching or reaching out to other state agencies for information. There are some excellent resources out there for general set-up and fish stocking recommendations. As always, be sure to check with state and local agencies to make sure your fish species are compatible with regulations in your area.

THE PREP WORK

fingerlings Image by Evgeny Kulakov from Pixabay

We live in a world that gives us most of what we demand within a short period of time. Some things are worth waiting for and stocking your pond is doing to be one of them. Proper preparations gives you a great base for receiving and maintaining healthy happy fish. Below is a short mental checklist for you to review:

Determine your pond size with this calculator.
State your pond goals.
Identify water clarity, chemistry and ph.
Develop a budget.
Consult a local fishery or a fish biologist for recommendations/custom programs along with feeding considerations.
Prepare and place appropriate habitats for each species’ needs and reproduction.
Set a date to receive your stockfish

POND SIZE

pond at sunset Image by RÜŞTÜ BOZKUŞ from Pixabay

Pond size is very important when it comes to stocking fish. For some with smaller ponds (an acre or less), it will be a determining factor in what species will be able to survive. Take largemouth bass, for example, they need at least 1 acre of pond space to survive. Calculating can be easily done with this handy calculator.

GOALS

It might sound silly, but what are your stock pond goals? Is this pond meant for generations to enjoy fishing from? Do you want this to be a trophy pond? Or is the pond like “the ole fishin’ hole” where the grandkids can swim, fish and paddle a boat? Your fishing goals will determine the species and rate of fish stocked. Hopefully, your initial stocking will grow and flourish for 3-5 years of fishing before possibly needing to be re-evaluated for restocking.

WATER CLARITY

Water clarity is another important factor in stocking fish. Having a clear pond may look very nice for swimming in, but it makes extra work on predator and prey fish- they will expend a lot of energy chasing down food or running away from being eaten. If you are a catfish, you love murky bottoms, but if you’re a bass or bluegill you appreciate a little greenish tint to your water.

Taking a water sample in for testing will help determine your waters current chemistry as well as ph and alkalinity.

BUDGET

fall pond Image by Larisa Koshkina from Pixabay

After calculating your pond water acres from the above-mentioned site, you can now determine how many fish can thrive well within your pond. A general stocking of sporting fish, bottom feeders and forage fish is a great combination, most folks like to have bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass and fathead minnows.

Not every hatchery/fish farm posts its fish prices. Many places ask you to call in or email. Andy’s Fish Farm posted the 2022 prices, so stop in and have a look. This will give a general idea of how much you’ll be spending.

CONSULTATION

baby trout Image by RENE RAUSCHENBERGER from Pixabay

The internet is a handy tool in aiding you with finding local fish farms, as well as state departments of conservation, in addition to possible fish biologists in your area to help you with putting together a plan or program for your pond. The money you spend developing a program will give your pond longevity and a wonderful family legacy.

Harrison Fishery Ponds and Lake Stocking have a wonderful calculator you can use to figure out rate of fish per stocking acre. Check this calculator out here.

Depending on your stock pond species maturity, you may have to consider whether or not you will need to be feeding your fish. Feeding your fish gives them the added edge of successful adaptation to your pond as well as improved growth rates and harmony within the pond. Check with your local feed store for fish food recommendations.

PREPARATIONS

All fish like to have a safe place to live, food and good shelter. Making sure you have artificial or natural habitats in place will help your fish species thrive and reproduce safely and successfully. Have your fish feed ready, kept out of wind and weather, along with a designated feeding time.

FISH DAY!

Most local fish farms deliver to your property. Some have their own fish biologist who accompanies the fish and oversees their acclimation into the pond. The fish biologist will release the fish in a certain order to maintain their safety and to keep peace in the pond.

Most fish pond stocking is done in the spring or fall. Some fish species require other fish to be introduced, growing and reproducing before you can introduce the next species. It is also important to remember there are predator fish, forage fish and bottom feeders. Having ample flathead minnows when first introducing your stock fish cuts down on the loss of other fish species.

Your stock fish pond will be a source of pride and joy for years to come. Investing in developing, maintaining, and successfully stocking your pond will have generations thanking you for your efforts.

Resources:

Stock Pond 101: Fish Stock

by Your Lifestyle. Our Mission.- Pam

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