Properly Stocking your Pond or Lake
by Michael Embrey
Wildlife Biologist | Managed Wildlife & Fisheries, L.L.C.
East Texas is a special place when it comes to our fisheries. From backyard ponds to large public lakes, we are blessed with ample opportunity to pursue the “lunker” every fisherman dreams about. A well-managed fishery brings more than recreation—it builds ecological balance, improves water quality, and raises property value. As winter settles in and spring isn’t far behind, this transition period offers some of the best opportunities of the year to improve your pond through purposeful fish stocking.
At Managed Wildlife & Fisheries LLC, we work with landowners across East Texas to develop thriving, productive fisheries. Here’s what you should know when planning winter and spring stocking for your private fishery.
Why Winter and Early Spring Stocking Matters
Though it may seem counterintuitive, winter and spring are ideal times for introducing certain forage species. Cooler water has the ability to hold more oxygen, fish experience less stress during transport, and predator activity slows—giving forage fish critical time to establish. By the time spring arrives, your bass and other gamefish will have an established forage base that directly impacts growth rates throughout the year.
Developing a trophy fishery isn’t as simple as putting a few fish in and hoping for the best, it takes thoughtful planning. Every waterbody is different from habitat, to size and depth, as well as water quality. Starting with correct water quality and having a well thought out plan for fish stocking will set you up for success before the first fish is even introduced, and safeguard you from potential downfalls that many experience after a haphazard fish stocking.
Preparing Your Pond or Lake for Stocking
Before stocking your pond, there are several water quality values that should be assessed to ensure fish not only have the ability to survive, but have the ability to thrive. pH, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, hardness, and turbidity are all critical metrics to assess before stocking a pond or lake..
In this article we won’t go deep into a course on water chemistry, but it is important to understand why these metrics are important to developing a successful fishery. pH is a measurement of how acidic or basic your water is. Ideally, a pH reading of 7.0 – 8.5 is desired as this is considered the optimal range for fish productivity. Too high or too low of a pH can lead to several issues from health and productivity, and can even lead to the possibility of a fish kill if it is significantly higher or lower than an optimal range.
pH is also tied to the alkalinity reading, as alkalinity is the ability of water to buffer pH, preventing large swings that can harm productivity, or even kill fish. An alkalinity reading of 40mg/l or higher is ideal, allowing for pH stability as well as the ability of phytoplankton to establish and productivity to increase. Oftentimes in East Texas we find low alkalinity and pH readings that swing throughout the day. Fortunately, this is relatively easy to correct with an application of lime in powdered or liquid form.
Water hardness is a related metric of water quality, and is the amount of dissolved minerals in the water. A desired reading for water hardness would also be 40mg/l or higher, and is critical for preventing stress as well as overall productivity and survival. Fortunately water hardness is also typically adjusted by applying lime to the pond, and a correct application should improve your pH, alkalinity, and hardness.
Dissolved oxygen is one of the most important factors in a successful fishery, and is critical for fish survival. Unfortunately, dissolved oxygen is often overlooked when planning a pond and isn’t considered until a fish kill occurs. Many years of management can be completely turned upside down if dissolved oxygen drops and a fish kill occurs. We receive several calls every summer from pond and lake owners that suddenly have hundreds, or even thousands, of dead fish washing up onto their banks. Unfortunately by the time this is observed, it is likely far too late for intervention. Aeration, whether in the form of a fountain or a bottom diffused aeration system, is relatively cheap insurance when compared to the cost of completely restocking a pond after a fish kill. We recommend and install bottom diffused aeration systems to increase oxygen levels throughout the entire water column, as fountains typically only aerate the water near the surface.
Turbidity is simply a measurement of water clarity. We see both ends of the spectrum on a regular basis, and it is not often fully understood by pond and lake owners. To the eye, we as humans think of clear water as being clean and optimal, but in a fisheries setting this is not the case. Muddy water (often orange or tan tinted) comes from several different causes, with the main two being erosion based and from suspended clay particles that are not able to sink to the bottom. Typically after a pond is built it will remain muddy as it fills, but then start to clear as time moves on and clay particles settle. Occasionally, clay particles won’t settle and an application of gypsum or alum is needed. Typically, we see muddy water caused by erosion. Exposed shorelines, an eroding creek feeding the pond, or even erosion from neighboring upstream properties can all lead to a muddy pond. There is no point in applying products to clear the water in this scenario until the source of this erosion is fixed, typically through erosion barriers or overseeding bare banks.
Remember also that we stated clear water is not a good thing either. Clear water is visually appealing to us as humans, but can lead to several problems in a fishery setting. First, clear ponds often have significant vegetation problems due to the ability of sunlight reaching all the way to the bottom. This allows for vegetation species to establish throughout the entire water column, with the potential to become too dense to successfully fish through.
Second, a clear pond is typically not a healthy pond. When describing optimal water color to a pond owner, we typically talk about a translucent green tint. Phytoplankton causes water to appear slightly green in color, and a good bloom correlates to about 18”-24” of visibility. Phytoplankton is the base of your food chain, and is often assisted through the application of fertilizer. This is best handled by a professional as too much or too little fertilizer can lead to detrimental effects.
Winter Forage Stocking Recommendations
Fathead Minnows
Fathead minnows are recommended when stocking a new pond, but we will add them as a “supplemental stocking” from time to time as needed in certain scenarios. Think of fathead minnows as the “jumpstart” to a successful fishery. These are not a long-term forage species as they are consumed rapidly by fingerling predator species, but they assist in bridging the gap until fingerling bass are large enough to start consuming bluegill. For most ponds, we recommend stocking 2,000 fathead minnows per acre alongside the initial stocking of other prey species.
Bluegill & Redear Sunfish (Coppernose & Native)
Bluegill and Redear sunfish are the foundation of a successful fishery where the goal is producing largemouth bass. Bluegill have a high reproductive potential, feeding your bass for the long term while also providing ample fishing opportunities themselves. Redear sunfish are often mixed in with a bluegill stocking, as they consume snails that can lead to parasitic infections in largemouth bass. We typically recommend an initial bluegill/redear stocking rate of 1,000 per acre, with supplemental stockings varying by need if the pond becomes too bass heavy.
Spring Stocking Recommendations
Largemouth Bass
Spring is prime time to introduce fingerling largemouth bass—especially after winter forage stockings. Stocking in April–June ensures water temperatures are optimal and prey populations are rising with spawning occurring. Florida largemouth bass are recommended for anyone who has a desire to produce trophy class bass, as they have a higher genetic potential to reach these larger sizes. Stocking bass as fingerlings is a long term process as it takes several years to achieve trophy size, but it is the best way to allow a fishery to successfully develop. In most cases we recommend stocking 75-100 fingerlings per acre into new ponds or lakes.
For those who do not want to wait for fingerlings to develop into larger size classes, there is the potential to stock larger “feed trained” bass. These bass are raised to consume fish feed and are typically stocked at 1-2 lbs. Since they are used to eating a pelleted feed, they can grow rapidly and are typically large enough to provide immediate fishing opportunity, however, they are considerably more costly than fingerling bass.
Channel Catfish
Catfish handle a wide range of conditions, but spring stockings allow for quicker growth as water temperatures increase. They’re ideal for family-friendly fishing ponds providing ample fishing opportunities and food for the table. Some pond owners have concerns with them keeping the pond “muddy” which may occur in certain scenerios. If catfish are desired, we recommend stocking them at a rate of 100 per acre.
Crappie
Let’s be clear, I love catching and eating crappie. Outside of hunting waterfowl, there is nothing I get more excited for than jigging crappie out of the brush. Unfortunately, in most ponds and lakes they compete too heavily with largemouth bass and are not recommended. I find that when conducting electrofishing surveys on smaller lakes which have both crappie and bass, we find a significant population of small crappie and skinny “stunted” bass. Unfortunately neither can get ahead and both species tend to suffer. Crappie can be managed in larger lakes, but for the vast majority of our clients it is best to pursue crappie in public lakes and leave your pond strictly managed for bass.
Balancing Your Fishery
Every fishery is unique. Pond size, existing populations, predator-prey balance, vegetation, water chemistry, and harvest pressure all influence stocking decisions. A common mistake is stocking predators without first ensuring adequate forage—leading to stunted, underweight bass.
A professional electrofishing survey can reveal exactly what your pond needs. From there, a custom stocking plan ensures you invest in the right species, at the right densities, at the right times of year. It is important to understand that ponds do not typically remain productive without human intervention. Typically about 3 years after an initial stocking, you must remove 20-30 lbs per acre of bass just to stabilize a population. Underharvest of bass in a fishery quickly leads to an imbalance in predator:prey ratios and stunting of bass.
Looking Ahead
Winter and spring stocking aren’t just seasonal tasks—they’re stepping stones to a healthier, more productive fishery. With a strong forage base established in winter and gamefish stocked in spring, you can set the stage for exceptional fishing and long-term productivity.
Managed Wildlife & Fisheries LLC is proud to serve the landowners of East Texas with science-driven fisheries management. Whether you’re building a trophy bass lake or developing a balanced family fishing pond, we’re here to help every step of the way. From fish stocking to electrofishing surveys and long term management plans, we’re here to assist you in managing for long term success.
