Stock FAQs

where to buy fish to stock a pond in va

by Bennie Kuhn Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Where can I buy fish to stock my pond?

Young bass feed on zooplankton (microscopic animals) and insects until they are 2 to 3 inches long, when they switch to a fish diet. Adult bass usually eat fish, but they will also eat insects, frogs, and crayfish. In Virginia, bass should be 12 inches long in 2 to 3 years. Bass spawn once each spring when water temperatures reach 60-65° F.

What fish live in the pond?

The size of your lake or pond is important in determining the type and number of fish to stock. To calculate surface acreage multiply length times width. There are 43,560 square feet per acre. For ponds less than 1 acre, a strategy including fish that have limited reproductive capacity is …

Is there fish in my pond?

Trout. Daily Trout Stocking Schedule. Trout Production & Stocking. Area Trout Maps. Trout Guide.

Will frogs eat fish in a pond?

Mid-Atlantic Stocking transports live fish and pond care products throughout the region to provide you with the opportunity to stock and care for your private pond or lake. We make regular trips to different pickup points in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Ohio where you can meet us to get your fish or pond management products.

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Can you put fish in a stock pond?

To properly balance your pond, you should stock your pond with three prey fish, like perch or bluegill, for every predator fish, such as bass. This pond stocking strategy will ensure that predator fish will have a bountiful selection of prey, while still giving the prey fish a sporting chance to mature and reproduce.

How many fish should I stock in a 1 acre pond?

A typical pond stocking strategy for a warm-water pond would be 1,000-1,500 bluegills, 50-100 bass, and 50-200 catfish per acre. Many recreational pond owners, however, prefer to stock bluegills and catfish to increase the size and population of bass.

What is the best fish to stock a pond with?

What Fish Should You Stock In Your Farm Pond?Green sunfish.Trout.Carp (common and grass)Goldfish.Yellow perch.Buffalofish.Tilapia.Crappies (black and white)More items...

How much does it cost to stock a fish?

SIZEPRICEAVAILABILITY VARY1 - 3"$60.00 PER 10012 MONTHS3 - 4"$80.00 PER 100Availability May Vary4 - 5"$120.00 PER 100SPECIAL DELIVERY ONLY When Available

How can I stock my pond for free?

Some states have free stocking programs. Check out your local government website to find out if your pond could qualify for these programs. If your state doesn't have such a program though, you may be able to stock your pond with fish you catch in public waters.Mar 21, 2021

How many fish can I put in a 1/2 acre pond?

Stocking your pond properly can prevent common problems such as a stunted bluegill population. ATAC recommends stocking 2-4 inch fingerlings in new ponds. Large, wild caught fish should be avoided because they may introduce disease....Fish Stocking Recommendations.Swimming PondSpecies*Channel Catfish1/4 Acre151/2 Acre253/4 Acre401 Acre505 more columns

How many fish can you have in a 1/4 acre pond?

1/4 Acre – 5 pounds fathead minnows, 75 bluegill sunfish, 50 channel catfish, and 25 largemouth bass. 1/2 Acre – 10 pounds fathead minnows, 150 bluegill sunfish, 100 channel catfish, and 50 largemouth bass.

How deep should a fishing pond be?

Fish ponds should be at least 6 feet deep, but no more than 12 to 15 feet deep. The water level should have a mechanism of control, such as a sleeved standpipe fitted with a cut-off valve at the bottom.Jun 12, 2010

Are catfish good for ponds?

Catfish are well suited for pond life. They have little effect on the predator-prey relationship in freshwater environments compared to predators like bass or prey like bluegills. Plus, they make for good fishing.

How many bass can you have in a 1 acre pond?

50-100 bassIn a balanced bass pond stocked with prey fish such as bluegill and fathead minnows as well as some channel cats if you like, a one acre pond can generally support 50-100 bass.

How do you stock a pond with catfish?

Stocking Rates Initial channel catfish stocking rate usually is 100 fingerlings per surface acre (i.e., 10 per 1/10 acre) in ponds that are not fed or fed inconsistently. Channel catfish grow fine without feeding in most ponds when stocked at 100 or fewer per acre.

How expensive is a bass pond?

For the perfect pond site, expect to pay $3,000 to $5,000 per acre, permitting and dam building included. (In some cases, where the terrain is lacking suitable soil, the cost could spiral to $10,000 per acre.)May 1, 2004

What is fish stocking?

Fish stocking is simply the practice of releasing fish into a body of water to supplement an existing population or create one where there hasn’t been one in the past. The practice is ancient, going back hundreds of years.

How many square feet are there in an acre pond?

There are 43,560 square feet per acre. For ponds less than 1 acre, a strategy including fish that have limited reproductive capacity is your best fit. That way you keep the overall numbers low so the average size can be larger. These fish include channel catfish, hybrid bluegill, hybrid crappie, and hybrid stripers.

What baits are good for channel catfish?

Worms, chicken liver, fgrasshoppers, minnows (live and dead), cut bait, and stink baits have all been used successfully by anglers. Prepared baits with cheese also seem to be quite effective when fishing for channel catfish.

Do largemouth fish travel in schools?

Largemouth will often watch prey for a long time before striking, so anglers should cast repeatedly to any potential fish-holding location. Largemouth rarely travel in schools, but several fish will gather near an attractive spot, and similar spots will also hold fish in the same body of water. Notes.

Do channel catfish need commercial feed?

Channel catfish are quite adaptable to supplemental feed and will do quite well on several types of commercial feed – particularly floating feed. Sporting Qualities. Whether in a river or lake, channel catfish will search out places with deep water and a diverse habitat, away from strong currents.

Does forage harm fish?

It does not harm the fish and is the best way to get a starting point for fish stocking recommendations. Usually customers want to stock additional fish to fatten up their bass. In this scenario our recommendation is to establish a population of producing forage fish.

Is it a waste to stock fish for bass?

To stock fish directly for the bass to eat is a waste of your money. First we determine if you have a growing population of bluegill in place. Bluegills are the backbone of the food chain, and there is no sense stocking other forage fish if the bluegills are not established.

Why call Pond King?

Calling Pond King prior to arrival of fish pick-up ensures that we have enough fish available to meet your stocking plan. For in store orders, Pond King representatives will bag your fish and explain the acclimation process so that your fish make it to your pond as healthy as possible.

Do you have to acclimate fish before releasing them?

Fish acclimation is recommended because there may be temperature differences between your pond and the water within the bag, and this period gives them time to adjust. Releasing fish without acclimation is not advised.

Can you release fish without acclimation?

Releasing fish without acclimation is not advised. Calling a Pond King biologist to answer any and all stocking questions is always an option, or come by our offices in Gainesville, Texas just a hour drive north of Dallas.

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