Your backyard paradise isn’t complete until you have the right fish just waiting for the next moment you have to drop in a line and experience the thrill of the catch on your own time, whenever you want. Not every fish is a great fit for every pond, so let our experts at Wisconsin Lake & Pond Resource help you with the right mix of wildlife, fish, structures, and more to get you the paradise you’ve always imagined. Take a look at the details on the types of fish we can help you stock your pond with and then place your order or reach out to us to learn more and get started.

Fathead Minnows

Fathead minnows are used as a supplementary food source for the pond. They can reproduce 3-5 times a year, provided they have adequate cover, providing food for the pond all year. Depending on the available cover and amount of predator fish, fathead minnows may need to be restocked on a yearly basis.

Bluegills

Bluegills are the typical fish people think of catching from ponds. They are very easy to catch and can provide many hours of fun for kids and adults. They also are one of the best fish to eat. One advantage bluegills have is there is no need for supplemental stocking because they will reproduce on a yearly basis. One major problem with bluegills is they reproduce prolifically in ponds, which can lead to overcrowding and stunting of the population. The best way to manage a pond is to continually harvest bluegills from the pond and introduce a predatory species such as largemouth bass; largemouth bass will feed on your bluegills helping to keep the population in check. Using both management tools together is the best way to keep bluegill populations in check. Learn more from WI DNR

Hybrid Bluegills

Hybrid Bluegills are another option to introduce. They are a cross between a male bluegill and a female sunfish. This cross reduces its potential for reproduction. With this limited potential for reproduction, supplemental stockings are required about every 3 years depending on the amount of harvest.

Pumpkinseeds

Pumpkinseeds are another species of pan fish which will thrive in most ponds. Pumpkinseeds feed on snails which can carry some parasitic fluke worms. They also make great table fare. They are also capable of reproducing so minimal to no supplemental stocking will be required. Learn more from WI DNR

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass will do quite well in most ponds in Wisconsin. They will reproduce providing years of angling fun while feeding on fathead minnows and little bluegills which makes them an ideal candidate for stocking in ponds. This will aid in maintaining a healthy food chain balance. Learn more from WI DNR

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass will provide great angling and will reach maturity in most ponds but will not reproduce in most situations. The best stocking method is to add them every 2-3 years to have different ages in the pond. Additional stocking of fathead minnows will be required with stocking of smallmouth bass. Learn more from WI DNR

Yellow Perch

Your yellow perch will most likely spawn sometime in April or early on in May. You’ll find similarities between yellow perch and walleye with typical water temperatures at around 45 to 52º Fahrenheit. Don’t expect yellow perch to build a nest or even guard their eggs. They’re random spawners and won’t follow any structure or nesting habits.

When you’re looking to catch yellow perch in your backyard paradise, you’re in luck because they’ll eat just about anything. The WI DNR recommends minnows, insect larvae, plankton, and worms. Since they’re primarily bottom feeders and prefer cooler water, you’ll want to be in the deeper spots of your pond. But of course, part of the fun is exploring different hot spots to get that perch and celebrate with friends and family.

Yellow Perch and Walleye are recommended to be stocked together. This is because perch are prolific breeders in most ponds and there needs to be a natural predator to help control the population. Both of these species need deeper areas to go during the day and the pond needs to be well oxygenated because walleye are one of the first species to die due to low oxygen levels. Both species also require large amounts of food so supplemental stockings of fathead minnows are suggested when stocking perch and walleyes. Learn more about Yellow Perch here or learn more about Walleye here

Walleye

Northern Pike

Northern Pike and Musky are used to help keep bass populations in check. Northern pike and musky prefer to feed on bass because their body shape makes them easier to swallow. These species are recommended when bass populations have become a problem. We recommend stocking one or the other, mixing the two species will not work because northern pike will out compete musky for food. Learn more about Northern Pike here or learn more about Musky here

Musky

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout provide great angling fun in the fall and winter months. Trout need to have water temperatures below 72 degrees and dissolved oxygen levels greater than 5 ppm. Most ponds in Wisconsin will have water temps above 72 degrees during the summer months. During the fall and winter months temperatures are well below that and dissolved oxygen levels are usually not an issue since cold water can hold more oxygen. You should be able to fish most of them out before the first major heat wave. Learn more from WI DNR

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Fish Species Information