Stocking Crappie

[jcd]

Hi,

Going to be stocking some black crappie in a buddies pond...The crappie are only going to be 2 inches long..The pond is a few acres big....I am going to be dropping in some porcupine attractors near the dock..I am also going to drop a few buckets with gravel in it to help the crappie spawn...Does anyone else have any advice or tips on what I can do to help the smaller crappie survive?....I would drop some bamboo mats in the lake but can't get the mats out that far into deeper water....

I have already talked to the local biologist....He thinks the crappie will do fine in the pond and won't take over the pond...Because, the pond has some real nice size bass in it...Just can't be taking any bass out...Or there is a good chance the crappie could take over the pond...

Jeremy
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[Jerry Blake]

Hi,

Going to be stocking some black crappie in a buddies pond...The crappie are only going to be 2 inches long..The pond is a few acres big....I am going to be dropping in some porcupine attractors near the dock..I am also going to drop a few buckets with gravel in it to help the crappie spawn...Does anyone else have any advice or tips on what I can do to help the smaller crappie survive?....I would drop some bamboo mats in the lake but can't get the mats out that far into deeper water....

I have already talked to the local biologist....He thinks the crappie will do fine in the pond and won't take over the pond...Because, the pond has some real nice size bass in it...Just can't be taking any bass out...Or there is a good chance the crappie could take over the pond...

Jeremy
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Hey Jeremy:

I would sure try to get some bamboo mats or some kind of cover in that pond or all you're going to do is feed some hungry bass expensive fish food.
Wouldn't hurt to put a bunch of fathead minnows or whatever the biologists recommend in your area for a forage base either. That would give the bass something to eat to take the pressure off your small crappie and it would give the crappie something to eat so they can get big.

[jcd]

Hi Jerry,

How are you doing?...I am doing good....I have talked to the biologist several times....Have to stock 200 crappie per an acre....I will ask him about the fathead minnows...I am purchasing the crappie from the county soil and water conservation district....The black crappie are 50 cent each....I can get 200-300 fat head minnsow for 8 dollars...


Only problem with the bamboo mats is that I can get them out into the deeper water...We have one bucket type boo condo out there...But, it didn't have many leaves on it when we dropped it in....I can probably make a bucket type and toss it out there as far I as I can...

I plan on stocking 400 black crappie in the pond...So, I don't want to waste my money on them...If the bass are going to gobble them all up...




Jeremy
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[bobberdown]

You might want to read this about Crappie in a pond.
http://www.shallowwatersfishing.com/...s/newpond.html

[jcd]

Hi Bobberdown,

The link isn't working...I have already talked to the local biologist...The big bass will keep the crappie population down....As long as we don't take out the bass....That was my main concern...But, the biologist thinks that they will do fine and not take over..

Jeremy
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[bobberwatcher]

Crappie taking over a pond.... I can think of worse problems.. :D

[jcd]

Hi Bobberwatcher,

What do you mean by that?...I read the article that was on the link you gave me...I find it pretty interesting...The biologist said the only sure thing is hybrid crappie..But, said you don't know with the black or white crappie..

Jeremy
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[CrappiePappy]

Hi Bobberwatcher,

What do you mean by that?...I read the article that was on the link you gave me...I find it pretty interesting...The biologist said the only sure thing is hybrid crappie..But, said you don't know with the black or white crappie..

Jeremy
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"Bobberwatcher" was just being facetious
(Definition: supposed to be funny: intended to be humorous.)

"Bobberdown" was the one that posted the link !! And, I've heard/read pretty much the same info, about stocking ponds with Crappie ... though most of the info I've read, has stated that ponds under "50 acres" are not good candidates (rather than the 100 acres mentioned in the link). I believe most of this info was in relation to using "White" Crappie, though.

Most DNR surveys will list White Crappie as the most likely to overpopulate and stunt, in a small pond setting. Black Crappie are less likely, and can be stocked in ponds of as small as 1 acre, but could still possibly do so (unless aggressively fished). A sterile "hybrid", such as the Magnolia Crappie, would not overpopulate/stunt ... but, at the same time, neither would they reproduce ... meaning that every one you took out (or that got eaten by other predators), would eventually have to be replaced. (which doesn't sound financially sound).
Also, adding fingerling Crappie to a pond with an established predator base, may not be the best way to go, either. But, in your case, it may be your only option. One other suggestion that I might add, is to drop some brushpiles or trees along the banks (cover for the fingerlings, baitfish, and an attractor for aquatic creatures).

..... cp

[turkeyfootnc]

I have a 1/2 acre pond I'm working on a crappie population. Since there are bass and bream already in the pond, I have to catch crappie from another pond or lake for this project. I started last year and by my count, I have transferred 47 crappie. Some of them had eggs last year, so there should be some little ones now. I plan to put in about 15 more and I'm done. I haven't caught one yet. BUT I have heard all about how crappie can take over a pond. I have permission to fish 2 small ponds with crappie. Here's my experiences.

In one pond, I only caught a couple of crappie and they were in the 8-10" range. Someone put a couple of flathead catfish in this pond a few years ago and they kept the crappie from taking over because for a long time, we hardly ever caught a bass or bream until the catfish were taken out.

In the other pond, you can go and catch 6-8" crappie all day long because the crappie have just about taken over the pond.

IMO-if you can regularly fish your pond and keep most of the crappie you catch and add a few pounds of fathead minnows a year, you should be able to keep the population balanced.

Also, I have heard of people who have had crappie take over a pond to throw in a couple of Hybrid Striped Bass to help control the population.

Hope this helps!

[jcd]

Hi,

The biologist told me this...Make sure you catch and release all the bass...Keep all the crappie you catch if they are big enough to harvest...I am stocking Black crappie..So, I think I there is a pretty good chance the pond will not be over run by crappie...We will be fishing the pond probably a couple times a week...But, the biologist did say it will take around 2-3 before the crappie are big enough to harvest...


I have three porpucines made up to drop near and around the dock...I am going to try and get some bamboo bucket type condos and try to get it out as far as possible....

Need all the cover I can get for the smaller crappie...Since they are only going to be 2 inches long..

Also, one other thing great about this pond...The bluegill are huge...I mean as big as my hand and super thick....If everything works out?...Should have some nice crappie, big bass and big bluegill in the pond...Just have to catch and release the bass.

Jeremy
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