Rock Island County Soil and Water Conservation District

Fish Sales

Fish Sale - Spring 2024

Fish Sale Information:

Orders Due By: 4/26/24 * Grass Carp Orders Due By: 4/15/24
Pick Up: 5/3/24 @ 1:00 PM* at QCCA Expo Center Parking Lot
Downloadable order form


Hybrid Bluegill
Hybrid Bluegill come from crossing a male Bluegill with a female Green Sunfish. They produce 90% males so they do not over populate a pond. They are a good choice for small ponds and will grow ¼ to ½ lb. per year. They can reproduce with Bluegill. Grow to 7 to 10 inches long.

 

Hybrid Bluegill 1-2" – Bag of 250 $97
Quantity

 

Hybrid Bluegill 3-5" – Bag of 50 $65
Quantity

Red Ear Sunfish
Red Ear Sunfish are excellent in deeper ponds and with Bluegill and Hybrid Bluegill. They like to eat snails. Prefer warm water with heavy vegetation to hide in. They are also very hard fighters when hooked. A full-grown Red Ear Sunfish may weight up to 4 pounds if not overstocked in a pond.

 

Redear Sunfish 1-2" – Bag of 250 $100

Quantity

Channel Catfish -
Channel Catfish are an excellent pond and stream fish. They prefer moving water with a rocky and sandy bottom. They also like to hide in old logs or trees that have fallen in the water. Channel Catish may grow up to 4 feet long and weigh as much as 50 pounds. They make an excellent sport fish.

 

Channel Catfish 6-8" – Individual $1.50 each

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Channel Catfish 6-8" – Bag of 50 $70
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Albino Catfish 6 - 8" - Individual $4.00 each
Quantity

Bluegill
Bluegill are an excellent sport and pond fish that grows a little slower than sunfish. Bluegill like to hide in old logs or around plants in the water. They will bite on many different kinds of bait. When the pond is not overpopulated, Bluegill will grow to be 7 to 10 inches long.

 

Bluegill 1-2" – Bag of 250 $97
Quantity

 

Bluegill 3-5" – Bag of 50 $65
Quantity

 

Bluegill 3-5" – Each $2.00
Quantity

Fathead Minnows
Fathead Minnows are especially important when stocking new ponds as a forage crop for other game fish. You should stock at a rate of 1000 per surface acre. Fathead Minnows will grow between 2 and 3 inches long and reproduce in the Spring.

 

Quantity: Per Pound - Avg. 200 per lb. Fathead Minnows - $14/lb.

Quantity

Largemouth Bass
Bass are one of the most sought after game fish. The Largemouth Bass is a predator on many species. They will bite on many different types of bait. Average size is 20 inches and life span can be as long as 23 years.

 

Largemouth Bass 3" – Bag of 50 $80
Quantity

 

Largemouth Bass 5-8" – Individual $4.00 each
Quantity

 

Largemouth Bass 5-8" – Bag of 50 $180
Quantity

Triploid Grass Carp
Triploid Grass Carp are reproductively sterile fish that feed on aquatic vegetation. This species is regulated in the State of Illinois and a permit is required. They typically live 5 to 10 years and can grow very large reaching over 50 lbs. Removal is difficult. Triploid Grass Carp, if stocked correctly, can eliminate many types of aquatic vegetation. However, in certain situations they can be detrimental to the pond because they consume beneficial vegetation. Aquatic weeds work as a filter, taking in nutrients from the water column. If the carp consume the weeds, the capacity of the pond to process nutrients is greatly reduced, and as a result algae blooms can occur. Also, the loss of aquatic vegetation is detrimental to fish habitat. For these reasons, we only recommend Triploid Grass Carp in certain situations where beneficial vegetation is not desired.

*Prior to stocking triploid grass carp and fine tuning your strategy, understand the pros and cons of them as a management tool. For more information on using Triploid Grass Carp as a pond management tool, please review the resources listed below.

https://www.solitudelakemanagement.com/blog/vegetation-control-using-triploid-grass-carp-in-ponds
AQUAGUIDE from Missouri Department of Conservation: Grass Carp Control Weeds in Ponds & Lakes
List of Aquatic Plants, level of Triploid Grass Carp preference, and effectiveness in providing control

 

Triploid Grass Carp 10-14" – Individual $14 each

Quantity

Black Crappie
Adult crappie are found in lakes, ponds, sloughs, backwaters pools and streams. Crappie prefer cover, such as such as vegetation, fallen trees or boulders. They often form schools in clear water among vegetation over mud or sand. Generally, we recommend not stocking this fish in smaller ponds because of their unpredictable nature. Small crappie find plenty of natural food in ponds, such as zooplankton, insect larvae, snails, and leech, but adult Black Crappie feed mainly on small fish, and will not take fish pellets. If you would like to stock Black Crappie, we recommend up to 200 per Surface Acre for an initial stocking.

 

Black Crappie 2-4" - Bag of 100 $100

Quantity

ELECTROFISHING POND SURVEY - $950
Electrofishing surveys are conducted in existing ponds to determine fish population dynamics and provide recommendations for corrective or supplemental stocking. A detailed analysis of the pond/lake will be conducted, and a comprehensive plan will be provided to the owner.

The survey will evaluate water quality, muck content analysis, vegetation & algae, depths/contour of the pond, pond mapping, site/dam inspection, known history of the pond as well as an electrofishing survey to collect a sample of fish to analyze the population dynamics, abundance, species present, and predator: prey ratios. This in-depth survey will collect as much information as possible in order to paint the picture of where the lake has been and what direction its heading in now. Following the collection, customized recommendations are provided in a full written report with priorities of what is needed, costs associated and timeline of when each recommendation should be implemented.

Once you have placed your order, our office will contact you to set up a date and time to conduct the survey.

 

ELECTROFISHING POND SURVEY - $950

HB All Seasons Blend Bacteria - $10.50/pound
This product is designed for larger ponds and lakes, but also very effective for even the smallest of ponds!

Maintaining optimum water quality is important for consistently growing large fish, controlling nuisance vegetation, and keeping your pond or lake young and healthy forever! This All Seasons Bacteria product adds the missing elements to optimal water quality at key times, while also eliminating the excess nutrients, smelly odors and organic matter that cause your typical pond problems.

HB All Seasons Bacteria is a tremendous biological and water conditioning product with an awesome payback! This blend works best in water with temperatures in the 35-100 degree range. All Seasons Blend is a potent blend of 23 essential vitamins, bio-stimulants, catalyzing enzymes, and select warm and cold water biological species custom blended for lakes and ponds.

All Seasons blend is a great way to balance a pond, consume organics, reduce nuisance vegetation and lower harmful ammonia. This is the most cost effective way to remove 30-60% of the sludge from the bottom of your pond. All Seasons Blend is a huge key to breathing new life into your ponds metabolism!

Dosage Rate Guidelines
All Seasons Blend comes in 8 oz water soluble bags. Just simply toss them into the water along the shoreline at a rate of 4 lbs per surface acre.
A follow up dose of 2 lbs per surface acre can be applied two-four weeks later.

What this product does:
• REDUCES BOTTOM SLUDGE-MUCK
• PERFORMS IN WATER AS COLD AS 35 DEGREES
• BALANCES POND
• REDUCES AMMONIA, NITRITE, NITRATE & PHOSPHATE
• REDUCES MURKY WATER

 

HB All Seasons Blend Bacteria - $10.50/pound

Quantity

HB Blue Dye - $20/quart

This product can be used to limit sunlight penetration and help limit algae and vegetation growth. 1 qt. blue and 1 qt. black/acre is recommended.

Quantity

 

HB Black Dye - $20/quart

This product can be used to limit sunlight penetration and help limit algae and vegetation growth. 1 qt. blue and 1 qt. black/acre is recommended.

Quantity

 

Additional Information on private ponds and fish is available at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Aquatic Managment page.