Products
Redear Sunfish (Shellcrackers)
Channel Catfish
Channel Catfish are long, sleek, scaleless and greenish-gray in color with deeply forked tails. Most fingerlings have spots but with age the spots tend to go away. Catfish have four pairs of long barbels which assist in the ability to locate food. They also have spines at the front of their pectoral and dorsal fins which are the site of the supposed stings received from handling catfish.
Channel Catfish are not generally considered to be a predator fish since they are not as aggressive as the bass. The Channel Catfish will feed on algae, crawfish, frogs, insects, minnows and commercial feeds. The average growth rate of Channel Catfish is one to two pounds per growing season if fed a minimum of three days per week with a high protein (28%-32% protein) floating feed. If the pond or lake is self sufficient (without supplementary feed) growth rates are typically about half that which can be achieved through supplemental feeding.
Channel Catfish usually begin spawning when water temperatures reach 70 degrees for three or more days. The spawning season typically lasts from the end of May into July.
Stocking rates for Channel Catfish will vary on a per acre basis from 200 to 700 fish. The rates will vary based on water conditions and current fish populations. If aeration is present, higher stocking rates can be achieved. Channel Catfish can be stocked alone or with other species depending on the preference of the pond / lake owner.
The lifespan of the Channel Catfish will average in the 6-7 year range; however, more than 10 years is not uncommon.
Black Crappie
The Black Crappie are the largest of the panfish family and are easily caught which makes them a favorite of young fishermen. The Black Crappie is a silvery black sunfish with a deeply compressed body, small head and large mouth. The Black Crappie tends to flourish in clear water and should be stocked in ponds of 2 acres and up.
The spawning season begins with nesting as water temperatures reach 56 degrees and spawning occurs when the water temperatures achieve 64-68 degrees.
The Black Crappie should be stocked beginning in late fall through early spring as they are very delicate to handle. Black Crappie feed on zooplankton, insects, small fish and minnows. It is recommended that that Fathead Minnows be stocked at a rate of 8-16 lbs. per acre to support the stocking of Black Crappie. The Black Crappie will reproduce quite readily and a stocking rate of 50 per acre is recommended. We further recommend that Largemouth Bass be stocked along with the Black Crappie to maintain appropriate balance and to control fish populations.
The average growth rate of the Black Crappie is ¼ to ½ pound per growing season with mature sizes in the two to three pound range. The Black Crappie’s life span usually ranges 2-3 years; however seven or more years is not uncommon.
Largemouth Bass
The Largemouth Bass is a slender sunfish with an exceptionally large mouth and is the most popular game fish in
The spawning season ranges from mid April to early June depending on the severity of the winter and the prevailing water temperatures. It is not uncommon for nesting to begin in late January – early February in warmer areas of the southern states. The growth rate of Largemouth Bass is ½ to ¾ pound per growing season. In well managed fisheries, weights and lengths exceeding 2 pounds and 14 inches respectively can be achieved in 2-3 years. The Largemouth Bass is sexually mature at age two and often lives ten or more years.
Tiger Bass (F1 Hybrid)
Fathead Minnows
The Fathead Minnow is an excellent food source for a variety of fish, especially Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie.
The minnow is a deep bodied fish with a blunt head and an incomplete lateral line, olive to pale tan in color with non-distinctive black markings. The breeding males have yellow bands behind the head and dorsal fin.
Spawning occurs between early April and July and the female will spawn three to four times per season. The fish mature at approximately three inches in size and, due to the short life span and the high mortality rate, should be restocked twice each year at a rate of 8-16 pounds per acre. The number of minnows per pound will range from 200-300, depending on their size.
White Amur Grass Carp
White Amur will help control excessive aquatic vegetation. These fish are a very effective biological control and eliminate the need for chemical herbicides by consuming three to five times their body weight each day during their early growing years. Leafy rooted aquatic plants, such as pondweed and coontails, are the preferred food of the White Amur. Lacking these, they will consume floating duckweed, green algae and even cattails.
The White Amur has a stout, slightly elongated body and a broad blunt head. Their color is dark gray or olive on the back turning to a pale silvery or white on the lower belly.
The White Amur does not prey on other fish due to their lack of jaw teeth. They possess pharyngeal grinders (throat teeth) which allow the fish to grind plant material against the roof of the pharnyx. For this reason, the White Amur must tear plant vegetation from the top downward "mowing off" vegetation rather than rooting it up and muddying the pond bottom.
The White Amur is available in two varieties, the Diploid White Amur and the Triploid White Amur. These fish are able to withstand a wide range of water temperatures.
The Diploid White Amur is a fish genetically capable of reproducing but does not do so in lakes or ponds, due to the lack of native conditions unavailable in these impoundments.
In states which require a sterile version to ensure no reproduction, the Triploid White Amur is available. The Triploid is a form of White Amur that has been genetically altered to ensure sterility. This is accomplished by heat shocking the eggs after fertilization has occurred.
The White Amur is capable of reaching four feet in length and weighing 100 pounds in its native range of Eastern Asia. The maximum weight attained in farm ponds is 25 to 40 pounds.
When stocking, these fish should be 8 inches or larger to avoid being consumed by bass or other large predators that may be present. The White Amur is a tremendous tool to help keep your pond both productive and enjoyable.
WE RECOMMEND
3-5 Per Acre....................................... Light Vegetation
6-10 Per Acre................................Moderate Vegetation
11-15 Per Acre..................................Heavy Vegetation
Hybrid Bluegill
Koi
Redear Sunfish (Shellcrackers)