Source and type of crappie fish pellets

[Calico Lake]

Hello,

I am looking for a fish food recommendation for the crappie. Considering using an automated feeder, like some use for deer and turkey. Thoughts and sources? Stocking fatheads in the shallows with sunk pallets for breeding grounds.

Been fishing crappies since the 60's each year at Black Lake, NY back when we caught buckets full, filleted them and ate fish once a week all year from it growing up. At age 9, caught 62 crappie in 62 casts on jigs in 1969 at Black Lake. Been hooked on crappie fishing since. In those days crappie were called calico, strawberry bass and crappie. We always called them calicos.

Rented a dozer and spent 6 weeks building a 2 acre water hole. Until it fills, it is called crappie pond but once full, calico lake. The only fish, beside fathead minnows I am allowing in it is crappie. Took a trip to RedHouse Lake in Allegany State Park and brought home four to begin the stocking.

[crappielimits]

Hog pelllets work great and kernel corn is also in exspensive. I would put some bass or other predator in to keep the population down. If it gets overstocked it will only produce small fish. A single crappie can lay 17000-20000 eggs at one time.

[Speck]

Hog pelllets work great and kernel corn is also in exspensive. I would put some bass or other predator in to keep the population down. If it gets overstocked it will only produce small fish. A single crappie can lay 17000-20000 eggs at one time.

I agree, the crappie will eat all of your fat head minnows in the first 2 years. You might consider putting blue gills for forage and large mouth bass to help control the populations. That will help the pond from getting stunted fish. Most fish biologists I've asked don't recommend crappie for any pond smaller than 3 acres. Even then they all say to keep bass in it also. They also recommend stocking black crappie instead of whites because they dont reproduce quite as fast. Provide cover for the small fish to escape and hide and you should be successful. Good Luck
P.S. Welcome to the board.

[bobberdown]

Zeigler Fish Food. cheap and good.
http://www.zeiglerfeed.com/html/

[joejv4]

I'd definitely want some predator fish in that pond, or the crappie will overpopulate (leaving only dinks) in a hurry and quite possibly eat up all the fatheads and eliminate their own forage.

[Calico Lake]

I was thinking I could keep the population down by fishing and if by some chance, that does not work, I can add predator fish later. Once that genie is out of the bottle, there is no putting it back.

Thanks for the input on fish food.

I have a segment of the pond where only fatheads can reside and is netted off. The adult fatheads cannot escape the netting but their young can so we have a pretty constant source of food. This segment of the pond is where the run off comes in so lots of food will wash in.

[bugman]

You wont be able to fish that much,i agree with the fellas it is mandatory you put some predators in there or it will become severly overstocked in short order,i have a buddy that tried the just crappie thing....he had to drain it after 3 years the 3" crappie flat took it over.

[NIMROD]

Good luck on your pond. But you might reconsider putting in a few Channel Catfish also. If you need a few predator fish later consider Flathead Catfish . They probably won't reproduce well in a pond but grow big and will thin out the small fish. Bass reproduce fast and will eat same minnows as Crappie.
On feeding fish we use sweet 10 horse and mule feed. It costs us about 6.00 per 50 lbs. Also do not feed much during extemely hot weather as they will foul the water and have a die off. The fish droppings can cause an Amonia build up during low or hot water. Feed in spring and fall mostly. Winter time fish don't eat alot also.

[Calico Lake]

Good tips on the feed.

I am still set on starting with just crappies and seeing how it does. Maybe a northern pike if it gets overstocked in crappie. If I am wrong, I guess the worst that can happen is I add another type of predator fish.

I have an area of the pond netted off for the fatheads. I figure as they breed, the little minnows will swim through the net and feed the fish while the bigger ones will not be able too. Worth a try.