FINALLY!!! They ARE Alive!

Hi,

Even though I been really sick for the last week or so I'm very happy about what I saw yesterday!

About 7 years ago we started stocking Largemouth bass and Pumpkinseed sunfish in our 10 acre pond. The first stocking in 2003 was a total disaster, the fish died in minutes. We had released them into very shallow warm water which shocked their systems. We then tried again with about 15 bass and 15 pumpkinseeds the next fall. The second year that we stocked them we had a spawn with hundreds of tiny Bass fry. Then every year or so we would go out and fish to see if they were any survivors. After that there was no sign of anything for 6 years. We figured that the low water and oxygen levels in the summertime killed off all the fish.

Then last night we spotted a 5lbs female Bass laying her eggs basically in our front yard! Of course as a Bass fisherman I had to try and catch her. The only problem is that it was getting to dark and she couldn’t see my bait around her nest. This mourning I checked it out, and sure enough there was a big bright pile of eggs. The female had split and only the male was there guarding the nest. I tried a few different baits to piss him off, and get him to move the bait off the nest. I finally caught the male and immediately released him back into the water. After a few minutes he was back guarding the nest. I'm so excited, I'm going to have hundreds of tiny Bass babies!

Sweet baby bass!!!
that sounds like fishing time lol

All I need to do now is get the forage fish population up! And start growing monster Bass! I wonder if their are any local fish farms that sell Pumpkinseeds? These fish are amazingly colorfully and reproduce like crazy! I guess I could always catch them myself, but I really need hundreds.

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i always wanted my own pond I could stock with fish! was gonna try to do giant trout! lol

Wonderful! I bet you're very happy My bf has a small pond with some goldfish in it. Nothing too exciting

Can't you just go and catch some pumpkin seed sun fish?

Bassman42 wrote:Can't you just go and catch some pumpkin seed sun fish?

Oh yeah, last weekend I added 13 bluegills and 4 pumpkinseeds to the pond. I just prefer to spend my time fishing for largemouth or smallmouth bass.

That's an awesome story! I would love to see some pics of your pond!!

Go and order a bunch of mosquito fish.. they are just like guppies and reproduce the same way... they survive in a wide temperature range and would provide food for all... Bass and the pumpkin seeds..

Doza wrote:Go and order a bunch of mosquito fish.. they are just like guppies and reproduce the same way... they survive in a wide temperature range and would provide food for all... Bass and the pumpkin seeds..

Thanks for the advice Doza. Do you know if they can be legally ship to WA?

Yes... can ship to WA no problem. here is a great lil' site I found that explains them pretty well.

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sandnuka wrote:Yes... can ship to WA no problem. here is a great lil' site I found that explains them pretty well.

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So Varieties of Mosquito Fish can be found naturally as far north as Central Illinois and most survive harsh, freezing winters as long as the pond is deep enough and well aerated throughout the cold season.

Now the trick is to find which varieties can handle freezing winters...

All of them can survive freezing givin right circumstances for survival...lol one thing i didnt know i just found out it says they can survive up to 114 Degrees... !!!!! crazy

I see you are in McKenna -- that's where I am too! When do I get to come bass fishing?

Where you able to find a place locally that sells pan fish for stocking? I need to find one as well.

there is a place by me that stocks a range of different sized rainbows..

Doza wrote:there is a place by me that stocks a range of different sized rainbows..

Trout wont work for me. I just need panfish. Pumpkin seeds or blue gills.

ok.. When you say panfish trout come to mind as well.. Lol.. i think there is a place down by portland that sell pumpkin seeds.. Found there web site a while ago.. Id have to look for it again.. I know of place to catch them outside of portland but thats a days drive.. Plan on catching some down there over the summer and bringing some up tho..

having problems finding the farm out of oregon.. Here is a site tho.. descent prices and selection.. Shipping might be steep tho... [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Cool! thanks for the info!

bad*ss iceberg, gonna have to come check that sh*t out sometime, how ya been btw