Forage Fish Stocking Options

Fathead  minnows are of critical importance for stocking new ponds and lakes.  Fathead minnows mature at about 3 inches, or one year of age. Spawning  begins when water temperatures warm to approximately 65 degrees and  continues throughout the summer. Females produce 200 to 500 eggs per  spawn and prefer to lay their eggs on the underside of submerged objects.  Females have been observed to spawn  multiple times per year.  Male fathead minnows have dark heads and dark fins when they are in spawning season, and larger specimens have small bumps or nodules on their nose to stimulate females to lay eggs. Females lack these distinguishing spawning characteristics. Fathead minnows are essential for stocking new ponds and lakes, but are seldom recommended for existing fisheries, unless needed for short -term forage.  Typical stocking density in new ponds and lakes is 10-100lbs. per acre, depending on the scenario.  

We provide golden shiners for lake and pond stocking, and they are a valuable tool in some of our custom fisheries management programs.  Golden shiners are especially useful as a low-cost forage option for a wide variety of predators.  We do not recommend starting out fisheries with golden shiners, in preparation for largemouth bass fingerling introduction.  However, we often recommend stocking golden shiners in existing bass/crappie/catfish fisheries as well as other specific scenarios.

Our unique OTS Coppernose Bluegill have a story behind them.  By combining the genetics from some of George  Glazener's coppernose bluegill with some of the best from our existing  fish farm stock, we have produced some high quality pure coppernose  bluegill genetics.  The breeding stock for these genetics are chosen  based on certain characteristics.  Males are chosen based on the  presence of pronounced orange or red caudal fin with white tipping,  exaggerated copper bar across the nose, few vertical bars, bull head.   Females are chosen based on evidence of pure coppernose traits plus  body condition i.e. egg mass bulge.  These OTS Coppernose Bluegill will  breed true in your fishery year after year.  The males are beautiful and  can grow up to 2lbs+. The females have tremendous reproductive potential and can start spawning as soon as they reach the 3" mark. 

Redear sunfish, also called shell-crackers, are a member of the sunfish  family.  These specialty fish are strikingly beautiful, considered forage and/or sport fish, and play an important ecological role as snail-eaters.  They are listed as a sport fish because they can reach 1lb+ sizes and are fun to catch. They are listed as forage fish because  they spawn annually, producing significant numbers of offspring, and  they have a relatively small mouth. Redear sunfish are important for the control of aquatic snails.  Snails are carriers of the very common yellow grub parasite.  By consuming snails, redear sunfish break the life cycle of yellow grub parasites and can prevent this parasite from becoming a problem in your fishery.   Stocking rate for redear sunfish in new fisheries is up to 250 fish per acre, but a higher stocking density may be needed in existing fisheries.  

More than a decade ago, Todd and Kathy Overton set out on an adventure to the San Antonio River  to acquire a genetic strain of true Mozambique Tilapia. Armed with a cast net and raw determination, we caught and identified enough specimens to confirm the presence of a self-sustaining population of true Mozambique Tilapia in the temperature buffered spring river water.  Later, Todd Overton and Clint Wilson returned with larger cast nets and a fish truck to gather as many breeders as possible.  We have beenhand-selecting our true Mozambique Tilapia breeding stock for over a  decade now, and we are very proud to offer you these quality fish for  pond stocking and aquaponics.  

Mozambique tilapia are a type African cichlid that has been stocked with much success in lakes and ponds across Texas for trophy bass production, algae/vegetation control, and diversified sport-fishing opportunities.  We consider these fish to be one of the most important species to stock annually for a healthy fishery.  Tilapia utilize a wide  variety of food sources, such as filamentous algae, planktonic algae,  detritus, some types of aquatic vegetation (duckweed, watermeal,  mosquito fern, nitella), aquatic invertebrates, and pelleted fish food.  By consuming  filamentous algae, detritus, and nuisance vegetation, tilapia add  links to the bottom of the food chain that would otherwise not exist.   Since tilapia make use of natural aquatic foods that other fish can not utilize, they convert otherwise useless matter into fish biomass, and this biomass works it's way up the food chain to grow your top-end predators such as bass, catfish, hybrid stripers.  Tilapia become much less active as water temps cool in the Fall.  As temps drop to the mid-50s, Mozambique tilapia begin to stress and become very easy  forage for predators.  When temps drop below 50F, Mozambique tilapia will "cash out" and will need to be restocked the following spring.  

True Mozambique tilapia are legal to stock in private Texas waters without a  special exotic species permit.  We begin stocking our spring tilapia in  March/April, and continue through Summer into the Fall.  Typical stocking rates are 5-10lbs per acre in new ponds with few predators, up to 100lbs per acre for trophy bass production.