What Fish Can Be Stocked in Farm Ponds?

Managing your own farm pond with different species of fish is a great way to create an enjoyable fishing spot for family and friends. The size and water temperature of a pond will affect what type of fish species are able to survive. It is also important to check with your local Department of Natural Resources to make sure you purchase a farm fish pond license and stocking permit if needed.

  1. Bluegill and Bass

    • The New York Department of Natural Resources recommends a bluegill and bass combination for ponds in northern states. The bluegills will provide bass with a food source, and both species of fish will be able to reproduce eventually. Ponds should stock 100 bass fingerlings and 500 bluegill fingerlings per surface acre. Bass should not be harvested when fishing until they have had a chance to breed successfully, which normally occurs two years after being stocked.

    Trout

    • Trout can be stocked in farm ponds, but are rarely able to reproduce in that environment on their own. Trout should also be stocked in cold water ponds, which are ponds that are deeper, normally spring-fed and rarely reach a surface temperature of 72° F. A standard trout stocking rate is 400 to 600 fingerling trout per surface acre. Trout will need to be restocked every two years to promote good fishing, and rainbow and brook trout survive better while being stocked that brown trout.

    Catfish

    • Catfish can be added to a bluegill- and bass-stocked pond, but careful consideration must take place to ensure all of those fish species can survive together. Blue catfish will compete with bass to eat bluegills, while channel catfish will eat just about anything and can negatively impact the food supply needed to support all of the fish. Catfish can be stocked as the main fish in a pond, and are normally stocked at a rate of 200 to 500 per acre.

    Largemouth Bass and Golden Shiner

    • A popular pond-stocking combination for warm water ponds is largemouth bass and golden shiner. Warm water ponds are ponds that reach a surface temperature of 72° or higher for long periods of time during the summer. The standard stocking rate is 100 largemouth bass and 200 golden shiners per acre. Shiners can be caught by fishermen, but they generally serve as the bait fish that help bass survive.