I just recently (4 months ago) moved to my land located in Kirbyville, TX and I dug a pond before moving to it. The pond is now filled up (roughly 1.5 acres and 15-16 ft on the dam end) and I am ready to start stocking. I would like to stock LMB(possibly f1), coppernose bluegill, and maybe some fathead minnows. I have looked on the net but cannot find a local stocker. Any help is appreciated. Thanks guys.

check with your local feed stores. most of them have someone come a few times in the spring

TM,

Brett, aka Fishbreeder at http://www.brettsfishfarm.com/ posts on this forum and is someone that you can trust and count on.

He may not have the fish on hand but he knows where to get the best in Texas.

If it were me, I would get started with my fatheads and would purchase them from one of the fish trucks that visit your local feed stores. They sell them at the best prices you can find...and a fathead is a fathead.

Coppernose, you can also purchase them from a feed store vendor...but here is where I would consider asking Brett to help out. He has connections to get you superior genetics and to me that is worth a lot if you love fishing for big bluegills as I do.

For the LMB, no question, contact Brett and ask him for the best genetics he can find. Alternately, I would consider special ordering from American Sport fish...it isn't cheap, but they have superior genetics in case Brett is not available.

Good luck, do your homework, be careful about this step because it is very difficult to recover from if you make mistakes...and, on the other hand, can bring you tremendous pleasure for years and years in the future if done correctly.

Believe it or not, you don't have to go outside of the huge state of Texas to find quality fish for your pond. We produce quality fish with well developed genetics. For documentation of this please see www.overtonfisheries.com. Look at the coppernose bluegill page and also read our testimonials. Our reputation is well documented. You can have fish delivered or you can come to our farm and have them packaged for transport up to 8 hours, and we guarantee fish in our live boxes.

Of course I'm (Me, I'm Brett) in Texas, and I'd not hesitate to get fish from Overton Fisheries. I might hesitate a bit on the feed store thing, at least check it out as to where the fish are coming from. American Sportfish is a huge outfit, and they've got nice fish, but I'd try to stick closer to home.

I do sell fish, and raise fish for sale, custom fish breeding, and buy and sell fish, pretty much anything to do with fish. Always sourcing my fish according to my customer's needs and desires, and not always my own stock. I also operate my own bass fishing membership club and do a lot of work as a "freelance fisheries biologist" for private, state (many states) and federal customers. Heck, in this day and time I don't turn down much....

You can PM me, and like I said, I'd not hesitate to use Overton Fisheries as a source. I looked on the map, and Tyler Fisheries is another outfit I'd consider.

What you'll get from the feed store is going to be a "one size fits all" stocking plan. The price will be low, but the results might not be all that spectactular If you use a more local hatchery like Tyler, Overton or myself, you will get a more tailored program to your resources, budget and goals.

Thank you Meadowlark for the kind words. I do try and please and I WILL NEVER recommend an outfit I did not believe in.

Usually the smaller pond projects are not on my radar, but I'm happy to help anybody. Most of the lakes I stock and manage are in the hundreds or thousands of acres, but I also stock a few fish aquariums and everything in between.

My web site is geared to my high grade koi breeding program, but that is currently on hold (poor economy and koi sales in a slump these last few years) and I'm meeting with my webmaster in a few days for a much needed update. Even during my long term as a well known koi breeder, I still managed sport fishing lakes, some famous ones, and bred largemouth bass and other species.

If nothing else I been at it longer than most. Not sure what that makes me other than old....

I can vouch for Todd Overton of Overton Fisheries and Bob Waldrop of Tyler Fish Farms. They both have TAMU certified pure Florida largemouth bass genetics as well as pure coppernose blue gill genetics. I have more than eight years of successful experience with these gentlemen and both are trusted and reliable suppliers. They hatch and grow their own fish.

Overton grows out his fish to desired stocking sizes whereas to my knowledge, others do no not.

I stay away from feed trucks � you never know what you are getting.

Guys thanks so much for all of the great input. I really appreciate it. I cant wait to start this project. I definitely want to lean towards the genetically superior LMB and bluegill.

I second Overton. I have gotten my fish from him for years and always been very happy. And his place is a treat to visit and see all his ponds and fish. Super helpful nice guy!!!

If you are intersted in Hybrid Striped Bass, stocking fingerlings at time of first stocking, that's the economic way to go.If fingerlings stocked with mature bass, they will be expensive fish food. A three pound hybrid will pull the britches off a five pound bass ..

Here's a 10 inch, 10/11 month hybrid grown out by Overton that I stocked in main pond last week. I stock 25 this size annually.

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Good luck with yur program.

heres a bag of HSB I got 3 years ago and still havent tr=ied fishing for them..Im hoping this year I will catch a nice one!!

Gotta love HSB's!

They grow fast, eat pellets and fight like a redfish. They add a nice diversity to a small fishery and if fed pellets really do not compete much with the largemouths. They are also tasty.

If they have problems its that they are very intolerant of low DO and do not live to be very old. The small ponds I've seen them do best in have aeration systems and are fed pellets daily.

Fishbreeder, I sure agree that water quality and feeding is the key to success in raising trophy hybrids, but there is an exception to every rule.
My first stocking of fingerling HSB was in our � acre grow out pond w/o aeration or feed ... but you could almost walk across the pond on fathead minnows...

We grew them out to 8-10 inches before transferring them to main pond with aeration and feed.

Photo below is one of many 3-4+ lb surprise HSB remainders grown in � acre pond with only natural forage w/o aeration.

Now that is a fine specimen! On a fly rod to boot! Betcha that was one heckuva battle.

Of course HSB's can be grown without aeration, but all it takes is one episode of low DO and you've lost them. They are very intolerant of low DO and excepting maybe shad, will be the first to go belly up even if the other fish in the pond are not visibly stressed.

Feeding helps a lot, but as long as there is abundant forage, they'll grow fine without feed. But, remember in a bass pond, if they are not being fed they are competing for the same food as the bass.

They are among my favorite fish to catch in fresh water, as close to salt water fish as you can get.

BTW, your growout strategy obviously worked, how did they do in the bigger pond?

I was aware of DO problems in un-aerated 1/4 acre pond and was totally surprised at survival of larger HSB. After Overton began growing them out I turned the HSB grow-out pond into a certified pure Florida bass brood pond.

"They are among my favorite fish to catch in fresh water, as close to salt water fish as you can get"
My favorites as well!

Below are photos of a couple of larger HSB in two acre aeratead pond.

Texas Mood, I trust that we have not strayed from your initial question seeking advice on your fish-stocking plan. I do not give advice � only share experience. Stocking Hybrid Striped Bass has worked well for me as an additional sport fish, but as Fishbreeder advises, they have management problems in requiring feed and aeration programs. HSB have been an excellent addition to my goals of developing a LMB and CNBG sport-fishing pond. I made a big mistake by overstocking Channel Catfish, and if starting over would only stock the numbers each year that I intend to harvest.

Follow the advice of advice of Fishbreeder, who I do not know personally, but obviously one of the best professional fisheries biologists in your neck the woods. I also highly recommend Todd Overton of Overton Fisheries who is fairly close to your place.

Good luck, determine your goals and follow your dream.