I know the owner of my local (primitive, no utilities and in a very rural area) dive quarry well as well as about everyone who dives there and I was at my local scuba club last night. Long story short everybody (including the owner and all the divers) have given me permission to stock the quarry with more fish since while there's a good population everybody agrees that there's not much variety. I'm going to try to get some people in the club to pitch in to buy some fish with me but I might be able to catch some to. I'm not sure how many acres the quarry is but it's very big and has 3 large access points, I believe it's also springfed. Maximum depth is about 34-35 feet and the warmest I've seen it at the bottom in the summer is the mid 50s. Every species of fish we've ever seen in the quarry include Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Northern Pike (very very rare), yellow bullheads, brown bullheads, and some species of forage minnow (probably fatheads). We've thought of multiple fish to stock that have pros and cons with each. I also rated them between 1-5 based on how much the local diving community would like to have them in the quarry.
*Rainbow, Golden, Brown, and Brook Trout (5)
Pros: Good fish to watch diving, something to see in the seller parts where the WW fish don't go often.
Cons: Not sure if they'd reproduce in a quarry with no streams feeding in.
*Yellow Perch (3)
Pros: Another interesting fish to watch while in the deeper sections.
Cons: could prolifically overpopulate.
*Walleye (2.5)
Pros: Yet another fish to watch in coldwater, population control for things like sunfish and perch
Cons: Could over eat other fish populations.
*Northern Pike or Muskellunge (4)
Pros: Favorite Among Divers (there's a small amount of northerns in there now hat are rarely seen that divers say are their favorite fish at the quarry).
Cons: Same as Walleye.
*Hybrid Stripers (2)
Pros: Grow large and make a nice attraction.
Cons: Don't Reproduce.
*Channel Catfish (3.5)
Pros: Good Attraction for night divers.
Cons: I can't really think of any.
*Longnose Gar (4.5)
Pros: Amazing attraction fish that's awesome to observe.
Cons: Finding a source.
*Green Sunfish (2)
Pros: Great Looking fish if not stunted and can make some nice hybrids with other Sunfish.
Cons: Can overpopulate.
*Paddlefish (5)
Pros: Great attraction fish that gets large.
Cons: can't think of any.
They put me in charge of getting a stocking plan ready for next spring so I need some advice from you guys about the best fish to stock that would do the best and impress the divers. In case you didn't see it before here's another quick rundown of the quarry's details.
Size: LARGE (probably a mile or so long)
Max Depth: 35 feet
Average Depth: 16 feet
Structure: Plentiful
Substrate: Mainly Silt but I've found a dozen or so stretches of gravel that fish spawn on.
Coldest Temp (in Summer): 50 F (under bottom thermocline)
Warmest Temp (in Summer): 76 F (very close to the surface)
Thanks for helping guys! I'll begin researching hatcheries to buy the fish after I figure out what to stock.
*Rainbow, Golden, Brown, and Brook Trout (5)
Pros: Good fish to watch diving, something to see in the seller parts where the WW fish don't go often.
Cons: Not sure if they'd reproduce in a quarry with no streams feeding in.
*Yellow Perch (3)
Pros: Another interesting fish to watch while in the deeper sections.
Cons: could prolifically overpopulate.
*Walleye (2.5)
Pros: Yet another fish to watch in coldwater, population control for things like sunfish and perch
Cons: Could over eat other fish populations.
*Northern Pike or Muskellunge (4)
Pros: Favorite Among Divers (there's a small amount of northerns in there now hat are rarely seen that divers say are their favorite fish at the quarry).
Cons: Same as Walleye.
*Hybrid Stripers (2)
Pros: Grow large and make a nice attraction.
Cons: Don't Reproduce.
*Channel Catfish (3.5)
Pros: Good Attraction for night divers.
Cons: I can't really think of any.
*Longnose Gar (4.5)
Pros: Amazing attraction fish that's awesome to observe.
Cons: Finding a source.
*Green Sunfish (2)
Pros: Great Looking fish if not stunted and can make some nice hybrids with other Sunfish.
Cons: Can overpopulate.
*Paddlefish (5)
Pros: Great attraction fish that gets large.
Cons: can't think of any.
They put me in charge of getting a stocking plan ready for next spring so I need some advice from you guys about the best fish to stock that would do the best and impress the divers. In case you didn't see it before here's another quick rundown of the quarry's details.
Size: LARGE (probably a mile or so long)
Max Depth: 35 feet
Average Depth: 16 feet
Structure: Plentiful
Substrate: Mainly Silt but I've found a dozen or so stretches of gravel that fish spawn on.
Coldest Temp (in Summer): 50 F (under bottom thermocline)
Warmest Temp (in Summer): 76 F (very close to the surface)
Thanks for helping guys! I'll begin researching hatcheries to buy the fish after I figure out what to stock.
