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Catfish-Only Option
A popular option, especially for smaller ponds, is to stock channel catfish
alone. Channel catfish consume a variety of foods that include insects, crayfish,
mollusks, small fish, and commercial catfish feed. They grow fast in ponds
and provide excellent recreation for all ages. This management option works
well in ponds of all sizes including small ponds (< 0.5 acre) and even
muddy ponds that are unsuitable for bass and bream (see the section in MP-360 on dealing with muddy ponds).
Catfish stocking rates will vary depending on if you plan to feed your
fish or not (see Table 1). Remember that the more fish
you stock the more you will have to feed. Before stocking, you should decide
on how much money and time you are willing to spend on feeding your fish.
For more information on feeding catfish, see MP-360.
It is important to keep in mind that channel catfish are not likely to
reproduce successfully in your pond. As you catch them out, you will need
to purchase new fingerlings to replace the fish that you eat. The frequency
and number of fingerling channel catfish that you will have to restock will
depend on how many fish you harvest. It is important to remember that while
a pond might support 1000 ¾ pound catfish, oxygen and water quality
problems would probably result if all of those fish were allowed to attain
sizes of 2 or 3 pounds. It is important to start removing fish as they
reach harvestable sizes.
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Table 1: Stocking
rates for ponds with channel catfish option.
Pond Type
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Fingerlings Per Acre
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Unfertilized
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100
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Fertilized
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200
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Fed
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Up to 1000
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