I'm about to build about a 1.5 acre pond.  Basically just building a dam in a very steep hollow with lots of runoff.

I want this one to be most bass.  What's the best thing to stock?  70% bass, 30% brem, or what?  I'm new to stocking.  Thanks.

If you put 70% Bass and 30% Brem, those Brem arent gonna have a chance.

You didn't check with one of our sponsors "Pond Boss" like I suggested yesterday ?

I read somewhere that you should stock bream the first year, and wait a year or two before you stock bass.  This helps the bream population grow without many problems then the bass have a variety of different sized bream when they are stocked into the pond.  

I'm about to build about a 1.5 acre pond.  Basically just building a dam in a very steep hollow with lots of runoff.

I want this one to be most bass.  What's the best thing to stock?  70% bass, 30% brem, or what?  I'm new to stocking.  Thanks.

There are like 6 "about to be" broken laws in this statement,lol.

Step back, take a breath and contact local DNR, they'll let you know where to start.  Once you've cleared the permits, stocking licenses,etc.

 Then contact "Pond Boss" as suggested above.

PS- Hope you're rich, stock and feed are not cheap

Thanks Guys,

I wasn't going to do that. I was basically just throwing something out as an example. Since there were no suggestions, I suppose no one knows a good mixture of stocking fish

You didn't check with one of our sponsors "Pond Boss" like I suggested yesterday ?

Hmm, guess I missed that.  Oh, something on the welcome thread?  I'll go check, thanks.

Which fish and how many is just one small part of the equation.   It's all about food source.

Get legal and then approach the pro's.  (The few guys I know won't talk to you if they know you aren't going about it properly)   How much $$ do you have to start with is going to be their first question.

Just a few things.

What are your goals with this pond?

Do you want a trophy bass pond or a trophy bluegill pond or something else?

What type of water will you have? What is the acidity level?

Will the ground hold water? What is the percentage of clay vs. sand and other matter?

How much water will the pond hold?

Will the pond be able to support the amount of runoff from the surrounding land?

Will the pond be deep enough to survive a drout?

Will the dam and the spillway be able to hold up under heavy flooding?

Do you have the proper permits to build that dam?

What part of the country do you live?

What fish are readily available at the hatchery?

Are you going to have a feeding program?

There are dozens of things to consider when planning to build a pond. I suggest you continue to study and ask questions.

At my girlfriends house, they stocked their pond with like 1/3 bass, gills, and cats. The bass and catfish populations are excellent, but the bream are very scarse. Although, when you catch one it is almost guaranteed to weigh over a pound.

And I dont think they went through the DNR or anything,

At my girlfriends house, they stocked their pond with like 1/3 bass, gills, and cats. The bass and catfish populations are excellent, but the bream are very scarse. Although, when you catch one it is almost guaranteed to weigh over a pound.

And I dont think they went through the DNR or anything,

This is usually a sign that there isn't enough cover to protect the bluegill when they are young. Add some permanent structure with small holes where they can hid from the bass and catfish. The best cover that I've seen used was plastic milk crates that were weighted and turned upside down. They were in groups of 10 to 20 in one spot and placed in 3 to 5 ft of water.

Set your goals first.

Build the food chain for your game fish by stocking the appropriate forage fish...for bass, those forage fish are bluegill and fathead minnows for a new pond.

Stock bluegill at a rate you can afford. Money is time, time is money. If you have more time than money, stock fewer forage fish and wait longer to stock bass. If you have a fast food mindset, stock heavy with the forage fish this fall and then stock your bass next spring.

If you get a minute, head to www.pondboss.com and spend some time on the forum. Also, click on the home page and listen to our first podcast and you will get some good hints about where to start.

You've spent the money to move the dirt, so don't sell your pond short by improperly stocking it. Study, do your due diligence and it will pay big dividends over the long haul.

Thanks Bob.

If ya'll don't know yet. Bob Lusk is the top fisheries biologist in the country. He is famous for the ponds that he has built and the ones that he continues to manage. When you check out the Pond Boss website I would recommend that you buy the books that Bob has written. I have read them all and they are worth their weight in big fish.

Check with the Oklahoma DNR. They will likely have a staff that tells you what to plant and how to manage you pond with little or no cost to you. Any other route will likely put you into failure, fines or both.

I'm about to build about a 1.5 acre pond. Basically just building a dam in a very steep hollow with lots of runoff.

I want this one to be most bass. What's the best thing to stock? 70% bass, 30% brem, or what? I'm new to stocking. Thanks.

You need to check with your state's department of natural resources, fisheries department, or whatever it might be called in your state.  They have guidelines they use when stocking waters that are based on the best science for your particular locale.

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You need to check with your state's department of natural resources, fisheries department, or whatever it might be called in your state. They have guidelines they use when stocking waters that are based on the best science for your particular locale.

Yea but, every lake is different even if they are sitting side by side. Each lake needs to be treated individually in order for it to reach its maximum potential. State biologists have general guidelines, but with just a little study and observation you quickly find out how general those guidelines are. :

the sample issue was a good read

http://www.pondboss.com/sample.pdf

You need to check with your state's department of natural resources, fisheries department, or whatever it might be called in your state. They have guidelines they use when stocking waters that are based on the best science for your particular locale.

Yea but, every lake is different even if they are sitting side by side. Each lake needs to be treated individually in order for it to reach its maximum potential. State biologists have general guidelines, but with just a little study and observation you quickly find out how general those guidelines are. :

Yes, but how can I "study and observation" a lake that is imposable for me to "study and observation", with out going out of my way to go to were it ever may be and fish it, and "study and observation" it.

But what ever the case, I would probably stock it with minnow first, than bream, than bass. Not to many so the lake gets over stocked. I have fished over stocked lakes, and the fish are NOT HEALTHY! So just don't over stock it and you'll be good!  

What are you talking about? Are you on the same planet as the rest of us?

We are talking about a lake that he will build on his own property. I don't think he will have a problem observing and with the internet, I don't think he will have a problem finding the information he needs to make the right decisions.

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But what ever the case, I would probably stock it with minnow first, than bream, than bass. Not to many so the lake gets over stocked. I have fished over stocked lakes, and the fish are NOT HEALTHY! So just don't over stock it and you'll be good!

In all your infinite wisdom how do you propose that he should determine how many is to many? When exactly should he stock each type of fish? Will his water support the fish in the first, second or third year? Will there be enough O2 (Oxygen) to support the fish to start with? Will be PH be right in order to grow a healthy population of plankton?....... I could go on and on.

Many people think that all you have to do is dig a hole fill it with water and put fish in it and it will grow trophy fish. These people are still catching *** inch fish out of there lakes.

It is suggested, depending on where you live, that you initially stock 500 bluegill per acre and something like 50 lbs. of fathead minnows per acre.  You can stock about 100 channel cats this same year.  Not necessary, but won't hurt.  A year after stocking the bluegill you can stock your bass.  A nice base of forage should be established as the bluegill will have spawned a few times during the summer already.  100 bass per acre is preferred.  Suggested sizes of bluegill fingerlings are 1-2", fingerling bass are 2-3", and fingerling channel cats are 2-4".  Another option would be stocking redear sunfish along with the bluegill.  Go 2/3 bluegill and 1/3 redear sunfish per acre if you wanted to do this.  

I was looking into this a while back for our pond and there is some really good information on the net.  You can google pond stocking, pond management, etc. and get some good information.  What Omaha has suggested is striaght on and I believe there are some links off of pondboss to some fish farms.  A local fish farmer is going to be your best option to help you stocking this for your area.

Another little known fact is that you need not actually stock anything. By putting bird seed on the edge of the pond, fish eggs will be carried from other bodies of water on the legs and will fall into the newly filled pond. This will give the perfect mix of fish for your area and also provide you with more viable genes because they will be the ones that stick better. I believe that this was the approach used when stocking Alan Henry.