Will Crappie eat Readear?

[flymoron]

I was going to restock a small pond with just Crappie and Redear, I was thinking that the Redear would be the food source for the Crappie, Is this a bad idea?

thanks

flymoron

[birddog one]

I would use fat head minnows the spawn 2-3 times a year and cost alot less

[flymoron]

would I need to replenish the minnows?

[birddog one]

I have a 18 acrea lake here at the house that I put 18 lbs of fat heads in last spring by aug. I had bait pods all over the lake in the evening I will do it again this spring. Then I won't do it again til I see that fish are looking poorly . The good thing about fat heads is they only get 3-4" long at most as your red ears get bigger the will start to compete with the crappie for food . The kansas DnR says 1 lbs per suface acrea. I pay $9.00 per lbs 3 lbs of fat heads is around a 1000 fish. hope this helps

[flymoron]

thanks Birddog, that does help me

[Slabs Inc]

I have a 18 acrea lake here at the house that I put 18 lbs of fat heads in last spring by aug. I had bait pods all over the lake in the evening I will do it again this spring. Then I won't do it again til I see that fish are looking poorly . The good thing about fat heads is they only get 3-4" long at most as your red ears get bigger the will start to compete with the crappie for food . The kansas DnR says 1 lbs per suface acrea. I pay $9.00 per lbs 3 lbs of fat heads is around a 1000 fish. hope this helps

Wow 18 that's a big pond.

[birddog one]

yes it nice I landed 3 over 17" this year. I have white, black and black nose crappie in it. It's lot of fun for the the kids.

[deathb4disco]

Everything I've ever read on the subject says to either not stock crappie in a small pond or to use a lot of caution in doing so. I'd talk to your state wildlife agency and get some info from them on when/what to stock.

Here's one article I found. I just Googled "stocking crappie in ponds" and got a lot of hits.

Pond Stocking Recommendations and Management

[Slabs Inc]

The biggest private I have ever been on was 8. The place I take care of is right at a thousand acres and not a spring fed pond on it.

[birddog one]

that sucks I have 9 ponds here I mange all of them for fishing the smallest is 2 acres the bigest is 18. The Kansas DnR suggest not putting crappie in any thing smaller than 5 acres. But I think if thats all your stocking in it you'll be ok. I would put catfish and crappie together with know worries. The issue is mixing bass and crappie .