Stocking Rates: Fatheads may be stocked at a rate of 1,000 to 2,000 or more per acre. Through many decades of use as live bait, they are now found throughout most of the United States. Spawning: Mature fathead adults seldom exceed three inches in length and usually live for only 12 to 15 months. The primary benefit of fathead minnows in ponds is to help the initial growth rate of largemouth bass and relieve initial pressure on the bluegill. The newly stocked bass fingerlings will usually consume fathead minnows first and predate on them until they disappear. If you want to jumpstart the bass’s growth in a new pond, consider stocking fathead minnows. Your fish are safely secured in 3.5 mil double bottom sealed polyethylene bags containing pure oxygen. The fathead minnow is an ideal baitfish species for pond stocking, and due to its many positive attributes is the most recommended baitfish as a purely forage species. You will get a great return for your investment! In northern ponds the best bet for bass forage is to stock a cocktail of fathead minnows, golden shiners, crayfish and in some circumstances, bluegill. They travel in schools, hide in brush, and will typically disappear within the first 18 months of stocking in clear ponds without much cover. WAP0001, I'm always amazed when talkin minnows that this isn't mentioned more. For the first year consider your bass pond a bait pond. Unlike threadfin shad that occupy open water, the fathead prefers to occupy similar habitats as the bass, making them very vulnerable to predation. This allows the minnows to reproduce and a stable population to become established. Nesting Substrate: Although fatheads may make a small teacup size nest on the pond bottom, they prefer to deposit their eggs on the underneath surface of rocks, plants or logs. The minnows should be stocked well in advance of the game fish. Taal Lake Hatchery has been providing game fish for stocking lakes and ponds in Wisconsin, Illinois, and the upper peninsula of Michigan since 1963. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) are perhaps the most common bait fish in the U.S. Fathead minnows are not only good live bait, but are also beneficial in providing forage (food) in newly stocked bass-bluegill ponds. We pack your fish to safely survive 36+ hours, but they should be released as soon as delivered. Bluegill and redear sunfish fingerlings stocked in the fall and winter will spawn the next spring. Stocking rates are fairly consistent with bluegill (500-2000 per acre). Baitfish are sold by the … Our fish are health certified by a qualified veterinarian. Fathead minnows should be stocked at a rate of 1,000 - 2,000 per acre. Fathead Minnow - Golden Shiner - Bighead Carp - Grass Carp - Redear Sunfish - Bluegill - Largemouth Bass Hybrid Striped Bass - Black Crappie - Walleye - Yellow Perch - Northern Pike - Muskie - Channel Catfish: Other Species: (Other species not normally on-hand may be available through special request) The fathead minnow is a small, olive-colored baitfish that has been used for a century or more as bait for small predator fish such as crappie. Periodic additions of forage fish such as fathead minnows should increase bass grow and production. They primarily consume plankton, insects and algae. 8007 Troy Highway Minnows are affordable and as such are considered an excellent investment when used … If fatheads are stocked during the fall or winter, smaller minnows can be used, as they will grow and obtain sexual maturity prior to spawning season. If you do the math, that is very expensive fish food. Stock fathead minnows because they are slow swimmers, fast multipliers, and easy forage for the small bass. These minnows begin spawning during the early spring, often several months before the bluegill spawn and provide a valuable food source for small bass fingerlings. These 2-3 inch minnows are stocked in order to provide appropriate additional forage for lakes and ponds. However I think the best thing he ever advised me about was stocking minnows. Fathead minnows happily feed on plankton, insects and larva, fish food, bacteria colonies, tiny plants, and algae. They are also widely used in pond management for fish and pond stocking. In fact, the presence of fatheads can contribute to a healthy annual growth rate for bass. - 3000 Fathead Minnows/ surface acre Redear Sunfish A member of the sunfish family, the Redear or "shellcracker" is known for its size and ability to eat snails, insect larvae, and cladocerans (cladocerans are small crustaceans commonly found in most freshwater … Fathead minnows will spawn by depositing their eggs to the underside of rocks, logs, sticks, etc. To observe minnow populations, check around your pond in early spring. per acre and more when game fish are present and organics are high. Minnows will school in warmer water at the edges of a pond looking for feed which primarily consists … Various minnow species exist for lake and pond stocking, but fathead minnows are recommended as a solid choice as for a forage species. Fathead Minnows are shipped safely in a double wall corrugated box (with insulation and ice packs when temperatures are above 80 degrees). Fathead minnows are a terrific starter forage, stock them to reproduce and they will support the first year’s growth of your game fish. If stocked during the spring, adults should be used to insure an early spawn. They are often called “tuffies” or “tuffie minnows” and are available at live bait stores throughout most of the United States. Fry can mature and spawn within 4 to 8 weeks of hatching. Fathead Minnows are an economical forage species to add to almost any pond or lake. Mature males are usually larger than the females and can be distinguished from the females during the breeding season by a series of breeding tubercles on the nose or forehead. If these minnows are added to a new bass-bluegill lake during initial stocking, they can reproduce and provide an abundance … Fathead minnows offer forage to ponds which have recently been stocked with bass bluegill. Generally stocking 100-200 per surface acre is acceptable. We suggest stocking 100 lbs. Fathead fry swim slowly enough for mature bluegill to feed on them and this may also increase bluegill growth rates. Wait at least a full year before stocking any bass, largemouth or smallmouth. Forage fish enhance the growth of bass and can improve their survival through the winter, which is particularly important for yearling bass. Stocking Rates Fathead minnows are used throughout the U S as a bait fish for small predator fish such as crappie and walleye. Fathead minnows have been used for years and are usually stocked with the … Fathead minnows stocked at about 1,000 per acre the first year of a new or renovated pond will improve bass survival and growth. This ensures that small bream and minnows are available for the small bass. Fathead minnows are a common source of additional food for fish. This is because minnows spawn in spring, a few months before bluegill spawns begin and as such can serve as an excellent source of food for bass fingerlings. Fathead Minnows have a high reproduction rate, spawning 2-4 times per summer. Stock 50 largemouth bass per acre the following spring when the bream and fathead minnows are ready to spawn. Spawning begins when water temperatures reach 50º – 55ºF and repeats … Pike Road, Alabama 36064 Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) are stocked into a new pond to establish a more complete food chain, which in turn results in faster growth for the bluegill and bass. The males are also responsible for guarding the nest. Bass predation and the short life of the fathead adult contribute to their brief role in the population. All advice Bill Cody gives me is very welcome. Fathead Minnows are a very important bait minnow for fisherman, but also provide forage for large fish. We always recommend fathead minnows as another preventative maintenance tool and food for other fish. The recommended stocking rate of fathead minnows is 3 pounds (750-1000 fish) per surface acre. Pond Stocking Services Fathead minnows are the most popular forage fish for pond stocking. FATHEAD MINNOWS (Pimephales promelas). Largemouth Bass ~ Channel Catfish ~ Hybrid Bluegill Regular Bluegill ~ Redear Sunfish ~ Black Crappie It is recommended that they be stocked on a regular basis to insure proper feed ratios for game fish. They are NOT recommended for ponds under 5 acres. Fathead minnows are appropriate when stocking new ponds, renovated ponds or re-populating existing ponds. Stocking Rates: Fatheads may be stocked at a rate of 1,000 to 2,000 or more per acre. Fathead minnows: 10 lbs; Golden Shiners: 5 lbs; Grass Carp: 4-20; Gallons of water per 100 fish for 20 minutes of oxygen 4-6" catfish- 10 gal 6-8" catfish- 10 gal 8-10" catfish- 10 gal Bluegill- 10 gal Hybrid bluegill- 10 gal Crappie- 15 gal Bass- 10 gal Redear- 10 gal 1 lb fatheads/shiners- 5 gal These are very general stocking rates. The males may also possess a hard pad on the top of their head, used in the preparation of the nest or spawning site. Managed pond stocking services and expert advise from Jones Wholesale bait. Waxed boxes can be found at many grocery stores, as they are used to pack and ship frozen meats. If you want to build a pond that will produce trophy bass, stocking it with fathead minnows will be key. This allows more small sunfish to reach spawning size to produce more forage for the bass and future generations. Fathead minnows feed on algae, organic sediment, duck and goose waste, decaying vegetation, leaf litter, and mosquito larvae. Bass fingerlings that are stocked during a time when there is no reproduction of bluegill or minnows will have to compete with bluegill for zooplankton and small insects, and their growth rate will be diminished. The bass normally eat the minnows before they have time to spawn and contribute to the food base. Production of fathead minnows can be greatly increased by adding this type of spawning substrate to most new ponds, but especially those ponds that have very little spawning substrate. Spawning begins when water temperatures warm to approximately 65 degrees and continues throughout the summer. In new ponds, pallets, boards, plastic drums or tires may offer additional spawning substrate. Standard Stocking Rates (Per Surface Acre on New Ponds/Lakes) 600-1,000 Hybrid Bluegill, Regular Bluegill, or Redear 100-200 Largemouth Bass 100-200 Channel Catfish 3,000-5,000 Fathead Minnows (12-20 lb) 10-12 Grass Carp . Fathead Minnows. They are native to central North America and were originally found from Canada to Mexico. Bass predation and the short life of the fathead adult contribute to their brief role in the population. They reduce bass predation pressure on bluegill in a new pond, allowing the bluegill to build up better numbers which in turn sustain better long-term bass growth. Bass fingerlings are very predacious and will exhibit accelerated growth if an adequate source of small live fish is available. Fatheads can actually increase the growth rate of bass during their first year of life. Yellow Perch: Size: 3 - 5" 4 - 6" Price Per Fish: $1.30: $1.85: Fathead Minnows. or roughly 3,000 fathead minnows per surface acre. Stocking fathead minnows Fathead minnows can be stocked in a pond to provide a supplemental food source to promote strong early growth of largemouth bass. It usually takes 8 pounds of minnows to convert to a pound of bass. In addition to bluegill, which is the primary food for bass in ponds, other species − such as fathead minnows, golden shiners and threadfin shad − should be considered in the initial stocking. We recommend stocking all ponds with minnows. Fathead minnows are of critical importance for stocking new ponds and lakes. They have a short life span of 2-3 years and reproduce frequently after water temperatures reach approximately 60 degrees. Fathead minnows will spawn by depositing their eggs to the underside of rocks, logs, sticks, etc. Fathead minnows mature at about 3 inches, or one year of age. DIET: Zooplankton and phytoplankton.. SPAWNING: As fractional spawners, fathead minnows spawn throughout the spring and summer once water temperatures reach 64̊F. Additional testing for VHS (viral hemorrhagic septicemia) is done on fish that are shipped out of the state of Wisconsin. The fathead minnow population is usually consumed within the first year of stocking … Hauling and handling instructions can be obtained from vendors of the fish. We highly recommend stocking Fathead Minnows (1000/acre) to establish a forage base for the other fish you stock. Make sure your pond is properly stocked with healthy stock fish. If fatheads are stocked during the fall or winter, smaller minnows can be used, as they will grow and obtain sexual maturity prior to spawning season. The stocking ratio of bream to bass should be 10:1. Minnows are relatively inexpensive and are well worth the initial investment to increase the growth rate and survival of the fingerling bass. Fatheads can tolerate lower oxygen levels than most game fish. IDENTIFICATION: A small mouth, black midline running the length of the body and spot on the dorsal fin are indicative of the fathead minnow.. Value: Fatheads are slow swimmers and provide ideal food for young bass. Generally reach 2 1 / 2 ” to 3 1 / 2 ” in length and have a life span of two to three years. Fatheads spawn early and often, creating an immediate source of food for fingerling bass. They will provide an excellent food source. Phone: 334-281-7703. Some females may lay up to 4,000 eggs per season. The fathead minnow is a small, olive-colored baitfish that has been used for a century or more as bait for small predator fish such as crappie. Older males are often darker than the females. Fathead minnows are usually stocked into new ponds at the same time as the bluegill. These boxes will float for a long time, but will gradually biodegrade and disappear from the pond. Spawning typically begins when water temperatures reach 60 to 65 F and may continue until the temps exceed 85 F. This will include the spring and most of the summers, with the exception of the very hottest part of July and August, and then into the early fall. ALIAS: Tuffy, blackhead minnow, minner. Fathead minnows seldom reach lengths greater than 3 inches, and therefore provide very little benefit when stocked as a forage fish into established ponds. Taal Lake Hatchery, New London, WI. They prefer to spawn upside down! © 2021 Southeastern Pond Management. Fathead minnows seldom reach lengths greater than 3 inches, and therefore provide very little benefit when stocked as a forage fish into established ponds. Black Crappie are available on a limited, special order basis. Some biologists recommend stocking approximately 10 pounds of minnows per acre, which is the equivalent of 2,000 adult minnows per acre. However, in many of the production ponds at American Sport Fish Hatchery, we often use waxed cardboard boxes that are disassembled and placed on the surface of the pond. Mature females may spawn weekly, depositing 200 to 500 eggs per spawn. Stocking Rate and Procedure Fathead minnows should be stocked at a rate of 300 to 500 minnows per surface acre. head minnows make ideal forage fish, because even adult fish are small enough (adults reach only 1.5–3.5 inches) to be eaten by juvenile predator fish. They can be omnivores but normally eat more zooplankton than algae. IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO FEED YOUR FISH A COMMERCIAL FISH FOOD: Eventually the young bass fingerlings grow large enough to eat the adult fatheads and most fatheads disappear from the population during the late fall. Established bass-bluegill ponds: American Sport Fish does not usually recommend stocking fathead minnows into ponds that have an established bass population. Varieties include Channel Catfish, Crappie, Bass, Bluegill, Grass Carp along with Fathead and Shiner Minnows. Fathead Minnows provide excellent forage for most game species, averaging just 1-3 inches in length at adulthood. All Rights Reserved. Yellow perch are active predators, so stocking fathead minnows with perch is recommended. We suggest a stocking rate of 10 lbs. Range: The original range includes much of North America from Quebec to the Northwest Territories, Canada and south to Alabama, Texas and New Mexico, ranging into Mexico. They primarily consume plankton, insects and algae. 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To observe minnow populations, check around your pond in early spring frequently after temperatures! Usually recommend stocking fathead minnows are ready to spawn and contribute to the food.! Pike Road, Alabama 36064 Phone: 334-281-7703 can mature and spawn within to... In providing forage ( food ) in newly stocked bass-bluegill ponds: American Sport fish does not recommend...