How to Keep Game Fish in a Pond

Across the United States, ponds provide landowners with private fishing for sport or for the table. Stocking and keeping your pond's fish alive can be a trial-and-error process, as many factors can influence the health and safety of your stock. Planning and preparation take precedence in the stocking procedure, along with proper fishing habits. Once you have a healthy pond population, you can reap the benefits of your hard work. Your stocked pond can also provide you with other benefits besides sport and eating, including a swimming hole, picnic spot, irrigation, fire control and ecosystem and wildlife enhancement.

Things You'll Need

  • Chemical kit for testing oxygen levels
  • pH kit
  • Notepad (or other system) for recording populations
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Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 1

      Obtain any licenses needed from your state's Fish and Wildlife Department. You may need a license to have a stocked pond or to fish from your pond. You may also need a permit from your locality to have and/or build a pond.

    • 2

      Measure the oxygen levels of your pond. You will need to purchase a small chemical kit. According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, fish can show signs of stress when oxygen levels are less than five ppm, and fish kills might occur at less than three ppm.

    • 3

      Measure the pH of your pond. Most fish survive in a pond with a pH between 6.5 and 9.0. The pH is the acidity level of the pond. Neutral is 7.0, from 7.0 to 0 on the pH scale is more acidic, while above 7.0 is more alkaline.

    Stocking the Pond

    • 4

      Consult your state's Fish and Wildlife Department or Department of Natural Resources to find the laws regarding stocking your pond. Do not assume you can stock your pond with wild-caught fish, which may be illegal. Commercial fisheries are the best bet for obtaining stock.

    • 5

      Decide which types of fish you want in your pond, such as game fish for sport of eating. Some fish species are acceptable for both, including bluegill, channel cats, bass and trout.

    • 6

      Stock fish at an acceptable per-acre rate. For example, stock fingerling trout at up to 200 fish per surface acre and large trout at 100 or less per surface acre. Stock largemouth bass at 100 to 200 per surface acre.

    • 7

      Fish your pond responsibly. If you stock bass, do not fish your pond until June of the same year you stocked. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the common practice of "saving" is also an error. Although "saving" is intended to allow fish to grow to larger sizes and populations, it often results in too many stunted and small fish. Also, fish frequently. Frequent fishing allows you to harvest more of your crop, including older fish that are soon to die.

    • 8

      Track your fishing achievements. Write down sizes of your catches to compare and determine whether the sizes are decreasing, increasing or staying roughly the same. Record which type of fish you are catching, especially if you start to notice unstocked species.