The total weight of brood fish should never exceed 1200 pounds per acre or 50 to 100 pair. Growth of brood fish must be considered when stocking, so stock 600 to 800 pounds per acre, not 1200. Good brood fish gain 50 percent of their weight from one season to the next. When to Cull Brood Fish Brood fish need culling when they reach the 10 pound size. Some producers cull brood fish as small as 6 to 8 pounds.
Large spawns are hard to manage.
If the spawns are larger than the hatchery spawning basket, they must be s 2. The large males are very aggressive, occasionally killing each other or injuring the female during courtship. Fish this size may be too large for the spawning containers, thus can't attempt spawning in the container. Another consideration concerning stocking is pond size. This may be due to fewer male and female contacts or reluctance of the fish to come to the feed area in a larger pond.