Our Fish
Coppernose Bluegill
Coppernose Bluegill
Max Length: 12 inches
Max Weight: 4.5 lbs
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Stocking Rate: 700 per acre (+300 Shellcracker)
Bluegill reach harvestable size within 12 months and can reach 1 lb in a year in the right conditions. They are normally stocked from September-May, but can be stocked year-round. They reproduce very well and in great quantities. This makes them excellent feeder fish for your bass. They should be fed twice a day for best results. Excellent to eat, as well as fun to catch, these aggressive biting fish are a must for a well balanced pond.
Redear Sunfish
(Shellcracker)
Max Length: 17 inches
Max Weight: 5.75 lbs
​Lifespan: 5-8 years
​
Stocking Rate: 300 per acre (+700 Bluegill)
Shellcrackers have similar characteristics to the Bluegill. They will reach slightly larger sizes. They are stocked alongside the Bluegill because they add variety to the pond, but do not compete much with Bluegill for natural food. Both will eat fish feed, but Shellcracker's main diet is snails, mollusks, and other small shelled creatures (hence the name). ​
Gambusia Minnow
(Mosquito Fish)
Max Length: < 3 inches
Lifespan: 1.5 years
Stocking Rate: 800-1000 per acre
Gambusia Minnows or “Mosquitofish” are a multi-purpose minnow stocked primarily as a forage fish for young fish fry and fingerlings. They help establish the bottom of the food chain, which is essential for growing trophy-sized fish.
During their spawning season (when water climbs above 57 degrees F), they have a gestation period of 16-28 days and can carry babies from multiple fish at a time. They give birth to live young at an average of about 60 young per spawn. They are heavily preyed upon and will not overtake your pond. Also because of their high reproduction rate, they are rarely completely consumed.
Their secondary function is serving as an organic, eco-friendly way of controlling mosquitos. Their name “mosquitofish” comes from their diet consisting largely of mosquito larvae. Other fish species’ fry will also eat mosquito larvae. However, they eventually outgrow this diet. Because mosquitofish remain under 3 inches, they target mosquito larvae throughout their lifetime.
Mosquitofish are great for any body of water!
Channel Catfish
Max Length: 50 inches
Max Weight: 40-50 lbs
Lifespan: 15-20 years
Stocking Rate: 300-500 per acre
Channel Catfish are North America's most numerous catfish species. They are among the most liked table fish and grow very fast. If fed regularly they can reach 2 lbs in a years time at which point they can be harvested. Channel Catfish do very well in ponds. They are typically restocked as they are removed (every 1-2 years). They are normally unsuccessful at reproducing in ponds due to bass, bream, and other catfish consuming their young. If bought for commercial use, they can be stocked in numbers ranging from 5000- 7000 per acre. Channel Catfish are great biting fish for fisherman and do very well in aquaculture type scenarios. These are the only Catfish we recommend in a pond or small lake.
Largemouth Bass
Max Length: 29.5 inches
Max Weight: 25 lbs
Lifespan: 16 years
​Stocking Rate: 100 per acre
Largemouth Bass are typically stocked in late Spring or early Summer after Bluegill and Shellcracker have been stocked. Doing it this way allows the bream to get established in the pond and reach sizes where they will not be completely consumed by the Bass. In healthy ponds, they will grow 1-2 lbs in a year. Unless trained to do so, they do not eat fish food, so it is very important that a live food source (Bluegill, Mosquitofish, Shellcracker, etc.) be added to the pond first. Also, if you have Bluegill and Shellcracker in your pond, Bass will need to be stocked for population control. Without population control, your Bream will overpopulate and they will starve. Largemouth Bass are a well desired trophy fish because they are aggressive and fight hard. They are essential for every fishing pond.
Sterile Grass Carp
Max Length: 4-5 ft
Max Weight: 70+ lbs
Lifespan: 8 years
Stocking Rate:8-10 per acre (for new ponds)
10-20 per acre (for a med.-heavy weed problem)
20+ per acre (for a severe weed problem)
Sterile Grass Carp are used as an organic method of controlling problematic weeds instead of using expensive and harmful chemicals. They are a non-indigenous species from Asia and can easily become invasive. For this reason, only sterile carp are allowed to be sold in SC, GA, NC, among other states. They are individually hand blood-tested to confirm their sterility. Chemicals can be very expensive and require multiple applications. Grass Carp are far less expensive and will continue controlling weeds for approximately 8-10 years. Sometimes longer! They will start by eating their favorite plants almost exclusively. Stocking at the recommended rate is very important in order to achieve adequate results. Grass Carp will eat most aquatic plants and weeds. You may want to research the types of weeds you are finding in your pond to make sure they are a part of a Grass Carp's diet. They will not eat the fish eggs in your pond. You may find that they are coming to your fish feed. This is common, but they will continue feeding on weeds.
Tilapia
Max Length: 23 inches
Max Weight: 8 lbs
Lifespan: 10 years (in the right climate)
Stocking Rate: 300-500 per acre
Tilapia are a tropical fish from Africa that have many uses.
They are excellent at eliminating duck weed, filamentous algae, pond slime, and many other undesirable algaes in your pond.
They reproduce in high numbers during the summer months, which provides your bass with great high protein forage food… and of course extra algae eaters.
With enough food, they can reach sizes exceeding 2-3 lbs in one summer season. Not only are they great tasting (one of the most consumed fish in North America), they bite a hook and fight like a sport fish.
Due to their tropic nature they cannot take over a pond, as they die off when the water falls below 55-50 degrees F. It is advised to add them as soon as your pond reaches a consistent 60 degrees F to get the most out of your fish.