Private Stockings

[Banker In Space]

Bill,
I am in the process of moving to the Macon area. My Brother in law and I are building a nice little 3 acre lake and desire to have it stocked with the normal bass, bream and catfish. How dose one go about this? This is the first time either of us has ever thought of such a thing. All I know is it will be great to cast a fly to a bream or b****on a bed in my boxers http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/smile.gif Any ideas or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[DanS]

My Dad has a similar lake down that way and he told me the state, or county, would stock it for him, but then he would not be able to post it (it borders on a county road). So he bought the fry himself and stocked it so he can control access (legally, at least). Talk tot he county agent for starters, I'd say, then try calling a state warm-water hatchery if the county agent can't tell you anything.

[Tommy Hunter]

BIS,
The State will stock your pond provided as you have stated that it is new, and does not already have gamefish present. There is some debate about what requirements as far as access goes. I have heard that if the state stocks it for you (a free service) then you cannot refuse permission to fish to anyone who asks. However, a friend of mine who has worked for DNR for nearly 30 years says that is not true. Other options are to buy the fish yourself, or more fun, to catch them in local lakes and creeks and stock them in your pond. The latter keeps you from having to wait so long to catch them again.

Tommy

[Drifter]

BIS,

I've done what your about to do and you will not regret it. The pond will provide you and your family with hours of entertainment. It will also add to the value of your property. Using this logic, I talked my wife into building a pond instead of a swimming pool. She had to wait 10 years for the pool http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

Contact your Cooperative Extension Service with regards to stocking. They'll want to know the surface area of your pond so that the proper ratio of predator-to-prey can be achieved. You will also need to stock certain fish at certain times of the year to insure a successful spawn, providing food for the predator fish (bass).

You'll have to go to the nearest State hatchery to pick up your fish. I used 5 gallon buckets lined with plastic garbage bags. If you have to transport any distance, you can rent a small tank of O2 (oxygen) and shoot some into the plastic bag, filled with water, and tie closed with a plastic tie.

Make sure you order your fish early due to the lengthy waiting list. If you purchase your fish from an individual supplier, expect to pay about 50 cents for a fingerling bass, $6.00 for a six-inch sterile gr****carp. Bream tend to be cheaper. Check out the Market Bulletin under "Fish and Fish Supplies."

I know there is a Hatchery in Warm Springs, you may have one closer to Macon.

Also check out the UGA website regarding Pond Management:

http://www.forestry.uga.edu/docs/196.html

Disclaimer: I went through the above mentioned procedure several years ago so it may have changed. Usual disclaimers apply. YMMV.

Don't forget to learn how to tie some poppers, Clousers, and RLDs http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/wink.gif

Good luck,

Drifter

[Ted]

I get this question almost daily. Good info from prior posts on this topic. They essentially describe the process pretty well. To end up with a balanced pond in the long run you want to stock it right from the start. NO wild fish if possible, try not to start with a mixed bunch. The best way is to get bream from a hatchery (state or private) in the fall/winter and follow up with the ba$$ the next spring. The state provides bream and largemouth ba$$ to new or refurbished ponds only. Channel catfish are available for new ponds or older ponds that already contain fish. All applications for stocking must be received by December 31 of each year for consideration during the next distribution period. It is best to get the applications in as early as possible. If you apply now, or in the next few months, fish will be available (bream and catfish)starting in late fall and early winter. If you apply for ba$$ too, they will be available early next spring. You will be notified by the distributing hatchery when fish are ready to be picked up. Depending on which county you live in, you will be sent to the warm-water hatchery that serves your area. I think that the fish might come from five state hatcheries. County extention agents and NRCS agents can help with pond size estimates and provide advice. Fish will come from DNR. BTW, Warm Springs is a US Fish and Wildlife Service Hatchery.
As far as public access is concerned, the stocking application has a statement to the effect that IF you open your pond to the GENERAL PUBLIC (which you do not HAVE to do) you must sign a non-discriminitory statement to get fish. I hope that this info helps. Call your nearest regional fisheries office for more information or the state fisheries HQ at (770) 918-6418. Do check out the UGA and extention websites, they are very informative.

Ted