Planting trees and habitat improvement.

[BrandonA]

I went back and reread the proposal, and it states 30-40 6" feed trained, but doesn't give the stocking time on those. Early June on the 150 LMB fingerlings.

On our lake the bait fish had 3 yrs of spawning. Last spring added about 2000 threadfin shad and will add more this year. We then added 1000 Camelot Bells ( Pure Floridas ). I am going to look at possibly adding hybrids in year 4 or 5 after our bass get mature and established.

[G5-Maniac]

Awesome thread I'm envious of you lol

[BrianL]

On our lake the bait fish had 3 yrs of spawning. Last spring added about 2000 threadfin shad and will add more this year. We then added 1000 Camelot Bells ( Pure Floridas ). I am going to look at possibly adding hybrids in year 4 or 5 after our bass get mature and established.

They had an economical plan that was a multi year deal, but I went for the full meal, no waiting plan with adult bluegill. Also a feeding program was taken into account. 30#s stocked FHM are just a starter forage and supposed to be gone within one year and should be 800#s plus by end of June. By then the 3000 CNB should be full swing. Again this is for a 2 acre pond, but I kept reading about letting your forage fish have extra time. I have 250 adult CNB that should spawn 4 to 5 times this year. If 1/2 are females, that should average 1.5 Million eggs per spawn. I don't know for sure was the proper stocking and there was too much data going too many directions. One other note, my goal wasn't trying for LARGE bass. That may have changed how things are being stocked. I wanted larger numbers of 3-5 pound bass, and 2 pound bluegill, with the occasional surprise HSB.

[BrandonA]

They had an economical plan that was a multi year deal, but I went for the full meal, no waiting plan with adult bluegill. Also a feeding program was taken into account. 30#s stocked FHM are just a starter forage and supposed to be gone within one year and should be 800#s plus by end of June. By then the 3000 CNB should be full swing. Again this is for a 2 acre pond, but I kept reading about letting your forage fish have extra time. I have 250 adult CNB that should spawn 4 to 5 times this year. If 1/2 are females, that should average 1.5 Million eggs per spawn. I don't know for sure was the proper stocking and there was too much data going too many directions. One other note, my goal wasn't trying for LARGE bass. That may have changed how things are being stocked. I wanted larger numbers of 3-5 pound bass, and 2 pound bluegill, with the occasional surprise HSB.

That sounds like a good plan. Our goal ( Mine really) is a trophy bass fishery with the hope producing 10lb plus consistently. After Year three any bass under 18" will be kept and may bump that up in yr 5. Our Forage Population is ridiculous. In addition to the bait fish we have millions of frogs.

[BrianL]

I started thinking large bass, but higher catch rate is a little more what I decided to go with. Just wouldn't be enough #s of fish in 2-3 acres for monster fish. That is kind of were the HSB come in, since they are easily grown on feed and will get 10#s +. They are also there to assure crappie don't get in and disrupt things, but doesn't make a lot of sense that they will control crappie, but not be issue on CNB...... Like I said too many variables....

[BrandonA]

I started thinking large bass, but higher catch rate is a little more what I decided to go with. Just wouldn't be enough #s of fish in 2-3 acres for monster fish. That is kind of were the HSB come in, since they are easily grown on feed and will get 10#s +. They are also there to assure crappie don't get in and disrupt things, but doesn't make a lot of sense that they will control crappie, but not be issue on CNB...... Like I said too many variables....

Your hybrids will control crappie. We got two 1.25 ponds that wee stocked with Catfish. Have another 3 acre and 2 acre pond with bass and and have a 3.5 acre pond that I am going to stock with crappie. So it was easy to have the big lake dedicated to trophy fish. Our lake is approx 15acres with a maximum depth of close to 40 ft.

[BrianL]

How are you going to control the crappie in that 3.5 acre?

[BrandonA]

How are you going to control the crappie in that 3.5 acre?

Probably a 7ft cast net

[BrandonA]

I may eventually relocate a few bass out of the trophy lake and turn loose. Bass eat crappie like a fat boy eats a donut.

[BrianL]

Forage fish came today. Met biologist out there at lunch.
2000 small copper nose bluegill
100 adult CNB
150 medium CNB
500 Red eared sunfish
30#s of Flathead minnows.

Correction on CNB numbers.

300 Adult
500 Medium

Just got the bill

[Backwoods101]

Wow, looking good

[BrianL]

Starting to build a dock for the pond. It will be two 12'x12' connected together, and have a 4'x12' gangway on each end.

[BrianL]

One down, three to go!

[XBowHunter]

nice

[BrandonH]

I really like the dock...I'm planning on building something similar for my pond.