Spring is a great time to for lake and pond owners to consider fish stocking in Missouri. Farm stores in Franklin County, Jefferson County, Warren County and St. Charles County typically hold “fish days” on various weekends beginning around the March timeframe. Check their websites for dates or search online for “fish days” to see when the next one is coming up near you.
How many fish should I stock?
Lake and pond owners often ask if they should supplement stock their pond and how many fish should they stock. In an empty pond in the midwest, using a 1 acre standard, I typically recommend the following fish stocking rates:
- 300-500 standard bluegill
- 50-100 bass
- 50-100 catfish
- 3-5 lb fathead forage base.
Use the smaller number of the range on ponds around 1 acre and the larger number of the range on lakes 2+ acres. It is best to not overstock to allow for the best growth. Bass and bluegill should spawn but catfish do not usually successfully spawn on smaller lakes and ponds so if you keep catfish often you will need to restock from time to time. This gives the pond plenty to kickstart and grow on for years to come providing plenty of fish fry’s.
What types of fish should I stock in Missouri?
You have many options in fish stocking depending on your lake size and desires.
Bluegill
Hybrid bluegill can be preferred for their fast-growing genetics combined with their infertility. Other bluegill species can quickly become an issue if the predatory fish do not keep up with spawning.
Crappie
If you like crappie, most literature will recommend 4 acres minimum or the crappie will over-populate and ruin the fishery. Crappie are year-round spawners and grow fast, but as long as good numbers of crappie are removed every year, you can balance the population and grow large crappie in your pond. Stock at 50 per acre. Do fish for these often and keep what you catch to keep numbers in check.
Redear sunfish
Redear or shell crackers grow big and can be a fun surprise when fishing for bluegill. Stock at 50 per acre.
Hybrid striped bass
Hybrid striped bass are fast growing infertile fish that fight hard and are mostly pelagic preferring open waters. They tend to swim in groups moving in circles and are very easy to catch. This makes them a fun option to stock as they have a lifespan of 5-7 years and grow to be 5+ pounds. Stock at 20 per acre.
Grass carp
After a few years of growth, your pond or lake may experience an algae bloom or vegetation growth. For things like naiads, pondweeds, coontail and duckweed, triploid grass carp may be a viable option to reduce vegetation. Unfortunately, grass carp do not normally touch things like algae, cattails and creeping water primrose.
These infertile large fish should be stocked when vegetation is detected, as they are stocked when they are 10-12’’ and take 1 to 2 years before they are able to eat any considerable amount of vegetation. Stock 5-7 per acre in most ponds and lakes but up to 12 per acre when in super thick vegetation messes.
Grass carp can be finicky eaters like children — they don’t always eat what you want them to. If you regularly mow around your shoreline, try not to blow clippings into the water as they love clippings. In these situations I have seen these fish react to the sound of a mower like Pavlov’s dog to come for a treat and avoid other vegetation.
What not to stock in Missouri
Other species such as musky, walleye, yellow perch, trout and pike are northern cold-water species and don’t usually survive unless the lake is 40+ ft. deep.
How to acclimate fish to a new pond
These are some important steps to take to ease the transition for the fish you’ve purchased:
- Find a large container to transport the fish. A trash can, large plastic tote or stock tank will work.
- Strap down the container securely to your vehicle.
- Fill the container partway with water from the pond where you will be stocking the fish.
- Place an aerator stone or bubbler into the water to keep the water oxygenated preferably.
- Place the fish into the transport container and take them back home.
- Transfer the fish back into the pond by pouring the water with the fish into the pond slowly.
Important Note: If you used hatchery-provided water for transportation, you must acclimate fish to the temperature and water parameters of your pond. To do this, add 10% of the container’s volume of pond water to the transport container, then wait 10 minutes. Repeat another 10% of the container volume of pond water and wait 10 minutes. Continue this process until the transport container is majority filled with your pond water. After this slow transition, pour the container into the pond. Expect this to take 45-60 minutes.
Have additional questions about fish stocking? Contact me and I would be happy to consult.