The Fathead Minnow is the most affordable and durable of the forage species. We are able to stock them in all but the hottest temperatures. It is a small prolific minnow that spawns from the spring until late summer on the underside of nearly any material near the shore.
Fathead Minnow Advice:
Reproduction can be improved by placing any kind of structure in 1 to 3 feet of water. It is very important for the minnows to be able to escape predators while reproducing.
Fathead Minnows eat a wide variety of aquatic organisms, from Mosquito larvae to algae, and they can withstand extremely low oxygen levels. Because of this they can survive and thrive in a wide variety of water conditions. We recommend stocking about 5 to 10 pounds per Surface Acre in new ponds without a forage base. If you have a pond full of Largemouth Bass, or other predators, we recommend 25 to 100 lbs per surface acre, and it may take more than that to establish a population.
In our experience, you will not be able to permanently establish a minnow population in a bass pond. In those situations, Fathead Minnows are used to boost to the bass growth rates, or protect other stocked fish from predation when stocked together. We set up stocking programs for many customers at rates of 25 to 100 pounds per surface acre as frequently as once a month, April thru November. Contact us if you are interested.
WI & IL Customers only, Sorry, but we do not sell fish outside of WI or IL at this time.
Request a Quote If you know what you want to stock, complete the form on this page.
Stocking Recommendations If you are unsure what to stock, complete the questionnaire on this page.