Unbalanced Stocked Ponds?

If your pond or lake needs help, call us for a recommendation on how to achieve balance so all varieties of fish will reach their growth potential.

North Star Fish Hatchery Stocking

Our brood fish are carefully managed and top quality. All species (except grass carp) are hatched and raised locally in our 70 ponds and lakes. Ponds are drained each fall and left dry throughout the winter months. In the spring, they are refilled and stocked with fry. Health certification is available for each species.

Walleyes

Walleye is our most popular species. After females are brought to the fish house area in March and early April, eggs are fertilized and monitored carefully until hatching occurs in mid-April. Fry are available at this time. Typically two-inch fish are available in June, three inch in July, and four to seven inch by October through November.

Northern Pike

 Another popular species, Northern Pike, are hatched in April. Two-inch fish are available in May, four inch in June, and five to seven inch in July.

Yellow Stripped Perch

In April, eggs are collected and hatched in a monitored environment. The fry are stocked out in small ponds that are drained and refilled yearly. Perch will be available at two inches June and up to four inches by September. We have three to four inch perch available during most of the season.

Largemouth Bass

Adult bass are isolated in a small pond for spawning. Young fish reach two inches in June, three to four inches in July to August, and five to seven inches by October. Bass raised on commercial food are available from June until November. Adult bass are available in April and May only.

Small mouth Bass

These fish are hatched in May. Two-inch fish are available in June, three to four inch fish are available in July and August. Four to five inch fish are available in September and October. No adult fish are available for sale.

Black Crappies and Bluegills

Spawn are taken from three lakes and isolated in small growth ponds during the first part of May. Two to six inch bluegill and crappie are available at all times. Adult fish are primarily available in April and May, with a few available in June.

Hybrid Bluegills

This hybrid, cross of a bluegill and a sunfish, is achieved by pairing and isolating in one of the small growth ponds for spawning. Three to six inch fish are generally available. This hybrid species grow quickly and produce a more meaty flesh than traditional bluegill.

Grass Carp (White Amur)

This is the only species that we do not hatch here at North Star. Purchased at around four inches in length, they are kept in ponds with an ample supply of moss and weeds. They soon reach eight to ten inch size. Used for weed and moss control, the five to eight size should be distributed at a ratio of ___ per acre of water.

Transportation and Delivery

Guaranteed live delivery, fish are brought to your pond or lake by truck anywhere in the Midwest. Prior to transport, they are netted and kept in holding bins for three to seven days (depending on the time of year) before delivery. This is important to guarantee a good survival rate and positive transition to a new aquatic environment.

Small orders can be picked up at the hatchery. They are packaged in plastic bags filled with water and oxygen, making the transition to your pond an easy one.

nstarfish@iowatelecom.net or Phone Todd (641) 492-6256 or Lars (641) 751-3397