Get documents about "POND STOCKING INSTRUCTIONS AND STOCKING APPLICATION
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Detach and send this form to:
Georgia Department of Natural Resources POND STOCKING
Wildlife Resources Division, Fisheries Section INSTRUCTIONS AND
360 Cedar Street STOCKING APPLICATION
Metter, Georgia 30439
Telephone: (912) 685-6424
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife
Resources Division (WRD) operates six warmwater fish
Please provide directions to your pond from the nearest hatcheries throughout the state. These hatcheries can
town (space provided below to draw map): provide fingerling largemouth bass, bluegill, redear
_____________________________________________ sunfish and channel catfish on a first-come, first-served
basis at a modest fee for stocking sport fishing ponds
_____________________________________________ and lakes.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
PREPARING POND FOR STOCKING
_____________________________________________ Fish are provided from state hatcheries at stocking rates
proven through research and practical experience to
_____________________________________________ produce good fishing.
_____________________________________________ Ensure that pond is free of fish:
Bream (bluegill and redear sunfish) and bass are
_____________________________________________ approximately one inch in length and channel catfish are
approximately three inches in length when stocked.
Therefore, it is especially important that ponds be free
Map Area: of fish before stocking in order to prevent predation on
Wildlife Resources Division, Fisheries Section
new fish.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Determine pond acreage:
Pond acreage can be determined from county Farm
Service Agency aerial photos or by contacting your
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) agent
for assistance. These agencies typically are listed under
U.S. Government in your local phone book. Do not
guess! Inaccuracy could cause you to stock too few or
too many fish and result in poor fish population
balance.
Metter, Georgia 30439
Ideally, ponds should be prepared for stocking in late
summer, the stocking application form submitted by
360 Cedar Street
September and the fish stocked as soon as they are
available.
Georgia Department
of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Division
Fisheries Management Section
(912) 685-6424
STOCKING OPTIONS COMMON STOCKING ERRORS POND STOCKING APPLICATION
Option 1: Good pond management starts with proper stocking. 1. Complete, separate and mail this form to the address
A bream, bass and catfish combination is recommended Research by the WRD Fisheries Management Section on the reverse side.
for ponds one acre or larger. This option provides has shown that major stocking errors to avoid are: 2. Applications must be signed to be processed.
bream (80% bluegill and 20% redear sunfish) at the rate 3. Complete a separate application for each pond.
of 500 per acre, and bass and channel catfish at rates of Providing an incorrect estimate of pond size. 4. Give directions to your pond on the back of this form.
50 per acre. The cost for this option is $50 per acre of Most persons believe their pond to be larger than it is.
pond. 5. Do not send a check with the application - a check
Getting too many fish for your pond can actually be as must be presented when fish are picked up.
Option 2: bad as getting too few! You will be contacted by WRD Fisheries personnel when fish
Pond owners can choose to receive only bream and are available for pickup and the exact cost.
bass (at the same stocking rate as Option 1) by selecting Starting, but not continuing, a fertilization program.
PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE:
Option 2. Option 2 is also recommended for ponds one In one study, 87 percent of the pond owners contacted
acre or larger. The cost for this option is $45 per acre. did not fertilize properly even though they received fish Name_______________________________________
at a rate that made fertilization necessary for good
Option 3: fishing. Unless you plan to fertilize your pond 5-10
The channel catfish only option is recommended for times each season and also plan to lime your pond once Address_____________________________________
ponds smaller than one acre. This option provides 500 every two-three years (1 ton/acre or more) do not begin
channel catfish per acre for ponds smaller than one acre. a fertilization program. City_________________ State ______Zip _________
For catfish-only ponds one acre or larger, state
hatcheries will provide a maximum of 500 catfish per Home Day
Stocking ponds with fish already present.
pond. The cost is $15 per 100 catfish. Phone ____/____-_______ Phone____/____-_______
Stocking does not improve fishing in such ponds and is
a waste of the pond owner's time. If an existing pond is County pond in _________________________
Option 4:
Channel catfish fingerlings are also provided to not providing good fishing, visit our web site at
supplementally stock ponds that already contain bass www.gofishgeorgia.com and click on "Stocking and Pond size (nearest 1/10 acre) _________
and bluegill at the rate of 100 per pond or 50 per acre, Managing Ponds" for information on proper pond
management. If you decide to drain and chemically treat CHECK ONLY ONE OPTION:
whichever is greater and up to 1,000 fish per applicant.
The cost for supplemental catfish is $15 per 100 catfish. the pond to remove existing fish, contact your WRD Option 1:
The catfish must be reared in cages to 10 inches in order Fisheries Section office for advice. Bream, bass and catfish combination
to help them avoid predation after being released. $50 per acre of pond (unfertilized rate)
FINAL CHECKLIST Option 2:
Special Stockings:
Bream and bass combination (no catfish)
The WRD Fisheries Section may approve other stocking
Carefully read the information included with $45 per acre of pond (unfertilized rate)
options to help solve special management problems.
this application so you can make an informed Option 3:
decision about the proper stocking of your Channel catfish only
pond. $15 per 100 fish at specified stocking rate
Complete one application for each pond. Option 4:
POND OWNERS MUST APPLY FOR Channel catfish (supplemental stocking)
FISH BY DECEMBER 31 Sign and date the application. $15 per 100 fish at specified stocking rate
Applications received after December 31 will be filled The pond owner must agree to and sign the following
during the next year's fall fish distribution season. Separate the application portion and mail it by
December 31. Applications received after this statement in order to receive fish: If my pond is open
Bream (bluegill and redear) and catfish are distributed date will be filled during the next distribution season. to the general public, I will contact the Fisheries Section
from approximately October until January. Bass are and obtain a special nondiscrimination statement that I
provided the following spring (usually April or May) for must sign before my application can be processed.
those that receive bream in the fall.
All fish must be picked up at state hatcheries. Hatchery If you have questions about pond management, visit our Signed ____________________________________
personnel will notify pond owners when the fish are web site at gofishgeorgia.com Pond Owner
available and the cost of the fish. A check for this
amount must be presented at the time of pickup. Date ______________________________________
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