I just got a new place with its own pond. Its been stocked in the past with triploids but few are left. My question is this ---
What is a fair pricing method for having my pond stocked? (charge by the pound or fish?)

How could I plant and Maintain a self sustaining RB population?

Am I crazy for even wanting to try?

I'd love your input cause I'd love to have my own little pond to learn some fly fishing techniques in. Thanks in advance

Jeff

I did one on a farm a few years back. You pay by the fish with minimums.

A few things to do first. You need to check the ponds ecosystem for things like disolved oxygen. Which means you have to wait a year. You want to see what the water temps are at the deepest spot at the peak of summer. Then check the oxygen levels to see if you have to areate the pond or not. Or you could just install a pump and an areator and go for it. You are going to have to measure and estimate the volume of of water and then check the biology to see how many fish it can hold . Unless you plan to feed and medicate for artifically high populations. There are a buch of sites on the web for research. I am not sure if you need a permit in Pierce county.

The pond we did yields 10+ lb rainbows and they die off every five years. They taste like mud because the primary forage is brine shrimp.

Should try to plant some bass bass in there they are fun on a bug pole also. A lot easier to maintain than the rainbows.

Thanks for the info King. I've actually got 3 ponds and one is aerated already. Maybe I'll stick to stocking triploids to avoid over populating. Any suggestions on who would be good to go through for a trout / BM plant?

Jeff

Send me a note and I will give you a friend's e mail. He has planted many trout from several sellers.

I'll volunter to pond test once you have it up and running.

be sure you're not negatively affecting the watershed. The feds frown on that. Can be very expensive later. Check it out first.

Be sure that you have the necessary permit to stock your water (the former owner may have had one). You can request the application to stock yuour water from your local WDFW region office or headquarters.

I would stay away from planting the bass. They reproduce easily and nearly always over population small ponds. The rainbows would need some flowing water for any attempt at spawning and a significant size stream for success of the rainbows.

If you are looking to plant the pond the cheapest buy smaller (3/4 inch) fingerlings and grow them to catchable size in the pond. At a couple hundred fish/acre you could expect them to get to 12 to 14 inches in about a year. The other advantage of using the smaller fish is that as they grow out their fins are generally better formed. They will grow faster and you can plant a few more if you are going to feed the fish.

If you want instant success you cn buy fish any size you want including fish well in excess of 10#.

Tight lines
S malma

try this link it might help you out.
http://www.troutlodge.com/home.html

Thats a great site. Actually answered a lot of questions.

Hey Mike -- I'd be happy to let you come give it a test if you put on a clinic for me while you're there

That's very nice of you, Jeff. My smart-alert post not withstanding, I have been reading this thread with keen interest. There are a lot of fly anglers far more skilled than I that could teach you a lot more. But do keep us informed of your project and good luck! I would enjoy paying your pond a vsit in a couple years. Maybe we can feature it for an article on the site. I know guys would like to read how it turns out.