Stocking

Before you put fish in your pond, make sure you know what type of fishing opportunities you want. For example, your management objective may be an all-purpose fishery where you can catch bass and bluegill of various sizes, or you may prefer to manage for trophy bass or trophy bream, at the expense of the other species. These approaches require ponds that are at least 1 acre in size, and you only can effectively manage for one of these objectives at a time.

In smaller ponds, the predator-prey dynamics become difficult to control, so alternative stocking plans are needed. In these tiny ponds, hybrid bream or channel catfish can be a good option, but you will need a predator to control reproduction.

In the links below, you will find information on the species, stocking options, and fish suppliers licensed to sell fish in Mississippi. Remember, stock ponds with fish only from reliable fish hatcheries to prevent bringing in undesirable fish species, parasites, or diseases.