Access digital copies of guides and regulations publications from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Issue link: http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/i/605475
30 • Nebraska Game and Parks Commission � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � to be periodically restocked, utilizing larger fish, in order to maintain a population when bass are present. For these reasons, hybrid sunfish are rarely recommended for stocking. Black Bullhead Black bullheads are a member of the catfish family. They are common in many small streams and often find their way into ponds. They are usually gray or black on top, with a yellow or white belly. The tail fin is almost square. Their bottom-feeding activities stir up sediment and can cause a pond to become muddy. This hinders sight-feeding fish such as largemouth bass and bluegills and reduces pond productivity. Bullheads become over-populated if stocked alone or a pond is muddy, or when very few bass are present. After hatching, young bullheads travel in compact schools called pods, often escorted by adults. In clear ponds with good bass populations, few bullheads survive. The ones that do, grow to a large size and are fun to catch and good to eat. As with black crappies, black bullheads should only be stocked in ponds that are producing bluegills longer than 8 inches. Northern Pike, Walleye, Flathead Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Wiper (Striped x White Bass Hybrid), Yellow Perch, and Smallmouth Bass Although these fish are desired by some ponds owners and normally do not cause problems, they generally are not well suited for pond environments. Extra management efforts will be required to maintain populations of these species, if they survive at all. These species typically do not reproduce adequately in ponds to maintain populations, are costly to stock, can be difficult to obtain, and most ponds cannot support many of them. Very few ponds, particularly in eastern Nebraska, offer enough cool, clear water and/ or aquatic vegetation to support walleyes, northern pike, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, and striped x white bass hybrid, also known as WALLEYE YELLOW PERCH RAINBOW TROUT Bullheads are rarely recommended for stocking. BLACK BULLHEAD FLATHEAD CATFISH