thought(s) about stocking crappies in a pond?

[thompmd]

Hi everyone,
I assume this has been discussed but I live on a 5acre pond in the midwest and would like thoughts, good & bad, about stocking either black/white crappies. The pond has an excellent population of both bass/bluegills of multiple year classes as well as a few catfish.

The pond is about 40yrs old and a maximum depth of 17'. Have there been studies done on this and can someone point me in that direction. I have heard in the past both "sides" meaning that I have heard you had to be very careful as the crappies would reproduce too quickly and overpopulate but have also heard about crappies being in ponds for years and this not occuring.

The pond itself actually gets very little pressure from people keeping fish.

Thx in advance.

["G"]

Unless you can get some hybrid crappie that are sterile and cannot reproduce........don't do it, you will over populate your pond and will have stunted fish etc.

[CrappiePappy]

It's not usually recommended to stock a pond with Crappie, unless the pond is 25 acres or larger (some biologists even suggest 50 acres or more). The pond already seems to have a good biomass balance going for it. I'd be hesitant to put Crappie into the mix, as it would probably only result in stunted fish (of all present species).

Here's some good reads :
Crappie

Problem Fish

Rick Dillard: Crappie in Small Lakes an Ponds

Country Fish Farms - Crappie

... cp

[crappieseeker]

i agree with the above responses

[Kenlake slab]

These are some good links to read, thanks CP. We had a marine biologist from TWRA speak at one of our crappie club meetings and he recommended that crappie should not be stocked in lakes under 500 acres. A good example is when we had a tournament in November at BRWDA lakes in Lexington, TN. While all of our anglers caught many fish that day only 1 fish would have been a keeper (10" fish) on Ky Lake. Most of these lakes are under 500 acres.
Tom

[crappiefarmer]

Check out www.PondBoss.com and search for this topic. Plenty of reading.CF

[skeetbum]

My understanding is that they over populate in anything less than a hundred acres or so.

[IceManCometh]

just got to put predator fish in there, alot of state records have been caught in ponds 5 acres or less. my personal best 18.5 inch 3 lb 2 ounce crappie came out of a 2 acre pond. i would get in touch with a local pond management company such as herman bros in illinois cause they can tell you the right way to do it.

[crappiefarmer]

Stock with black crappie. Do not use whites. Black crappie do not proliferate like whites do. Stock fathead minnows a year before the crappie if You are starting from scratch then add a predatory fish. Like a hybrid striper on channel cat. to keep control of the crappie population. keep all crappie that You catch after the first couple years.CF

[wilbur]

If you are close to CHICAGO HEIGHTS I will help you from having them over populate. I could come catch a few for you.