Fish Days

Convenient Locations To Pick-Up Fish

Fish Days: A term used when fish are delivered to central convenient locations, usually feed stores, where local residents can purchase and pick-up fish for stocking their ponds/lakes.

Fish selection at fish days is based upon the popular high demand sizes and species of fish that customers traditionally desire.

We Offer:

3 sizes of channel catfish:

• 4-6 inch - for initial stocking, "no bass present"

• 6-8 inch - for initial stocking, "no bass present"

• 8-12 inch - for initial or restocking when bass are present

2 sizes of hybrid bluegill sunfish:

• 2-3 inch - for initial stocking, "no bass present"

• 4-5 inch - for initial stocking or restocking when bass are present

2 - 4 inch bluegill sunfish - for initial stocking, "no bass present"

3 - 4 inch Redear Sunfish

8 - 12 inch white amur (grass carp)

adult size fathead minnows - which are sold by the pound, 4 lbs. = 1,000 minnows

Occasionally, we do offer "unadvertised specials" such as crappie, redear sunfish and other sizes or species of fish. Normally, crappie are only available in early Spring when water temperatures are below 65 degrees F because they are very fragile and difficult to handle.

Special requests: not on our fish day species/size list. Usually these requests are for small numbers; if these fish are readily available and there is room on the truck, we may be able to accommodate the request. However, we will not be able to make a commitment until all final fish day orders are turned in the day prior to the scheduled fish day. If, the special request involves large numbers and would justify a return trip, we may be able to set up a separate delivery on a day other than the scheduled fish day.

To ensure you get what you want: be sure to order fish in advance through the store sponsoring the fish day. We guarantee that fish you order from our fish day list will be available if you place your order prior to two days from the scheduled fish day. Any order placed after the two day cut off will depend on fish availability and room on the truck. Normally, we will be able to advise the store sponsoring the fish day at the time that any late orders are called in. Whenever possible we bring extra fish for people who may want to purchase more fish than they originally ordered or for anyone who did not pre-order. Check with the store for the amounts and species of extra fish we may available.

Upon arrival at the fish day, please go into the store and pay for your fish. Please do not get in the line for fish until your fish have been paid for. If desired, fish may be examined prior to paying for them. Even if you pre-ordered fish, you are not obligated to buy them if you're not satisfied. After paying for the fish you should be given two copies of the receipt, one copy is for the person counting the fish and the other copy is for you.

We hand count our fish and weigh the minnows in your presence to ensure you get what you paid for. IF you are ever in doubt that the count is correct, please ask for a recount before you leave the purchase site.

TRANSPORTING FISH

• Use of clean containers (chemicals and fuels kill fish)

• Use of large enough containers; livestock watering tanks, various sizes of barrels with removable lids, plastic or metal garbage cans, 10 gallon milk cans, 5 or 7 gallon buckets, large coolers and large plastic or metal tubs are commonly used to haul fish short distances. Whatever you use, a lid or cover of some type is recommended, not only to keep the water in the container but also to keep fish from jumping out!!

Water: We are unable to carry enough water to fill everyone's containers. To avoid unnecessary delays in searching for water near the purchase site, bring plenty of your own pond water.

	Fill your containers with fresh pond/lake water, preferably the same water in which the fish will be stocked. Avoid leaving water in containers overnight; large fluctuations of water temperature may result.
	Never use treated city water, chlorine kills fish
	We do not recommend using well or cistern water, especially in late Spring or early Spring when well and pond/lake water temperatures can differ greatly. Well water contains very little oxygen. If it is absolutely necessary to use well water, we suggest using an adequate aeration device and be prepared to temper fish at the pick-up site and prior to releasing fish into your pond/lake. We haul our fish in pond water.
	Contrary to popular belief, ice does not put oxygen in water. Fish farmers use ice to lower the water temperature when hauling fish long distances, usually over eight hours. Lowering water temperatures is one way to reduce oxygen consumption because it reduces the metabolic rate of the fish and decreases fish activity. We do not recommend using ice to transport fish short distances because you will have to acclimate fish to the same temperature as the receiving water prior to releasing, which takes time, special effort and may cause stress if improperly done.

Remember! Water is very cheap when protecting your investment.

• We recommend using the following amount of fresh (drawn just prior to picking up fish) pond/lake water to transport fish for 10 - 15 minutes. Longer hauling time requires more water or a suitable aeration device.

We transport our fish in pond water.

5 Gallons Per:

1 or 2 grass carp

10 Gallons Per:

100 1-4 inch fish

20 Gallons Per:

100 4-8 inch fish

or

4 lbs. of minnows

50 Gallons Per:

100 8-12 inch fish

Transport your fish to the pond/lake as quickly as possible!!!!!!

If you intend to conduct other business when picking up fish, DO IT FIRST, avoid unnecessary stops.

Tempering Fish: Fish are extremely sensitive to sudden changes in water temperatures. As a rule-of-thumb, channel catfish can tolerate a 10 degree F change, however, other species of fish, especially smaller sized fish, can tolerate only a 5 degree F change.

Prior to placing fish in your container or stocking into the receiving water check the water temperature. If tempering is required, remove a portion of the water from the haul container and slowly refill with water from the receiving pond/lake. About 20 minutes of tempering are required for each 10 degree F adjustment in water temperature. Observe fish for unusual behavior, if noticed slow the tempering process. Aeration of the water may be necessary to prevent oxygen depletion while tempering.

Another consideration when using well water to haul fish is the possibility of ion shock. Ion shock can be particularly damaging when fish are cultured or hauled in hard water and stocked into extremely soft water. Occasionally, well water is harder than pond/lake water. Slowly exchanging the hard water for soft water reduces the stress. There is usually no problem when fish from soft water are stocked into hard receiving water. Use the same producers outlined for tempering fish for a 10 degree F change of water temperature.

Other Considerations

• Never throw or dump fish into the receiving water. If your hauling container is too large to manhandle, transfer fish to a smaller container with water. Place the container in the pond/lake, tilt it and let the fish swim out on their own.

Checklist for picking up and transporting fish from a delivery point to your pond/lake.

• Check containers for leaks, prior to filling

• Ensure containers are clean, even if the container is new, rinse it out. Large plastic bags may be used to line containers.

• Use a lid or cover to prevent loss of water and/or fish while en-route.

• Fill containers with fresh pond/lake water.

• Secure containers to prevent them from tipping over.

• Have a thermometer handy

• Plan on how you're going to remove the fish from the haul containers. Containers with small holes make it more difficult when removing fish.

• If you plan to use dip nets, make sure the netting is not too large. Injury to fish can result if fish are caught in netting while transferring.

• Bring an extra bucket(s), in case you need to transfer water while en-route.

We can help! For a small extra charge we do offer plastic haul bags (18" x 32") pressurized with oxygen. Haul bags can only be used for smaller sized scaled fish and grass carp. We prefer not to bag catfish or our larger 4-5 inch hybrid bluegill. These fish may puncture the plastic bag, resulting in loss of fish. If you plan to use this service, please bring a container(s) to protect bags containing fish from direct sunlight and from being punctured during transport. Large coolers or cardboard boxes work well. Plastic bags with water and fish should not be stacked on top of each other. If fish are hauled in plastic bags, tempering for water temperature is done by floating the bag in the receiving water until the water temperatures are the same. After the temperature in the bag has reached the temperature of the receiving water, open the plastic bag and slowly add receiving water to the bagged water before releasing the fish. This step will help to reduce stresses caused by water quality differences.

Large order deliveries are also available through our fish day stores for an additional charge. Due to our schedule and size of some of our fish day vehicles, deliveries of large orders may have to be coordinated for another day. To qualify for this special service, the total order must be large enough to justify returning to the location at another time. Since most every situation is different, please call us or contact the store with details. If economically feasible, we will do our best to accommodate the request. Our charge for this service is $20.00 minimum for up to 5 miles from the store and $1.50 per mile beyond 5 miles. It is based on stocking one body of water, two if close together (within 1/4 mile). Additional charges "could be added" when stocking several ponds or locations, if the time spent at the location exceeds 30 minutes or fish have to be carried a long distance. We will deliver to your driveway, and if access to pond/lake is good (as determined by our driver), we will stock the fish into the pond/lake. If access is poor, you are responsible for transporting the fish from the driveway and stocking them yourself.

Another benefit to you is that if we stock the fish, we guarantee the fish against major fish kills for one week after delivery. Extra fish will be given at no extra charge to cover any minor loss and as a token of our appreciation for your business.

For a complete schedule and locations for Fish Days, please check out our
Fall Fish Days Schedule.

Country Fish Farm, LLC has a package right for your pond or lake fish stocking needs and budget.  For more information on our fish handling equipment, pond aerators, pond fountains or a free estimate on our pond and lake fish stocking call (573) 729-4383 or  E-Mail Us today! 

Thank you for considering Country Fish Farm, LLC for your Missouri aquaculture and fish pond and lake stocking needs!