HaHa HaHa:  0
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 14

Thread: My lake needs stocking with crappie & bass

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Cape Girardeau,MO
    Posts
    31
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default My lake needs stocking with crappie & bass


    So.....back in 2011-2013 the COE dug a 35 acre pit on one of my riverbank farms to repair a levee ( that's another story for another time). During the excavating process I placed several stake beds inside the pit…..the pit is now my lake after several spring floods.....I've caught many catfish over the last 3 years but no crappie.....I'm ready to purchase some small crappie and bass but need advice on when & where to buy …..Would 100 crappie and 50 small bass / acre be a good start ? Will most of the small fish stay in the lake during Spring floods ?
    PS : Thinking about buying a hobie fishing kayak with the pedal drive for my wife's "Special Xmas Present" wrapped with a red ribbon , of course.
    Likes hdhntr LIKED above post

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Dallas
    Posts
    450
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Those crappie (in the numbers you have proppsed) will eat almost all the bass fry as they try to reproduce. That's a big pond so you will probably have to restock and balance regularly. I know many people will not stock a pond with crappie because they are so difficult to manage and can dominate the other species. I would talk to an expert before doing anything.
    Likes S10CHEVY, BuckeyeCrappie LIKED above post

  3. #3
    S10CHEVY is offline Crappie.com 3K Star General - Moderator Pennsylvania
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Transfer, Pa
    Posts
    4,023
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Talk to your state biologist, of fisheries management.
    Likes Clint LIKED above post

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Draffenville / Buckhorn Bay, Kentucky
    Posts
    1,811
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    What S10 said. Here in KY the F&W will stock private ponds. There are also private fish hatcherys that will also but that way is expensive.
    Clint
    Far West Kentucky
    http://www.crappie.com/crappie/signaturepics/sigpic31827_3.gif
    Old enough to know better and way too old to care!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Lake St Louis, mo
    Posts
    5,742
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I would go ketch ton of smaller bass and BG and get them established along with the catfish you have as that is workable and normal balance. often if you ask around someone has a problem with too many Bass in their ponds or smaller lakes and will be happy to let you help balance their lake while stocking yours. IF you want crappie a 35 acre lake seems large enough once you get your bass established and reproducing well and there is good cover.

    I have done that personally a couple of times successfully. Good luck as every lake is different.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Buffalo, WY
    Posts
    213
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hdhntr View Post
    I would go ketch ton of smaller bass and BG and get them established along with the catfish you have as that is workable and normal balance. often if you ask around someone has a problem with too many Bass in their ponds or smaller lakes and will be happy to let you help balance their lake while stocking yours. IF you want crappie a 35 acre lake seems large enough once you get your bass established and reproducing well and there is good cover.

    I have done that personally a couple of times successfully. Good luck as every lake is different.

    Doing this, transplanting fish from one pond to another, is illegal in many states so check to see if this is legal to do before you do it.

    ClearCreek
    Thanks hdhntr thanked you for this post

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Lake St Louis, mo
    Posts
    5,742
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    IF it is in your state it's bloody insane as why wouldn't you want to get your lake or pond better balanced?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Buffalo, WY
    Posts
    213
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hdhntr View Post
    IF it is in your state it's bloody insane as why wouldn't you want to get your lake or pond better balanced?
    So you know exactly how many bass, bluegill and catfish you would need to achieve that "balance" that you speak of for a 35 acre pond/lake? What would those numbers be and what would you base those numbers on?

    ClearCreek

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Louisiana
    Posts
    28
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    There is a great magazine and website. Called Pond Boss. They helped me a lot with my pond. Just a FYI. It can quickly become a black hole or you can spend way more than you figure. I have a 5 acre pond and I've had my pond re-stocked twice in 10 years. From my experience. Predators... catfish,, bass, crappie can out eat their food supply in a closed living environment(pond or small lake). They multiply quicker than their food source. On my last restocking which I did this fall. I put double the recommended stocking of food source fish(shad and brim). and NO PREDATORS. The fist time I re-stocked. I stocked food fish and fish predators(Florida Bass, Crappie, Catfish)and the same time. Huge mistake. The predators ate up all the bait fish within 2 years and I was back to square one. A fertile pond will only hold so many pounds of fish per acre. So if add fish. You will have to fish it or take out so many LBS of predators per acre per year. Hope this helps and enjoy the journey.
    Likes TreednNC LIKED above post

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Louisiana
    Posts
    28
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    In the south it's 80-100 lbs per acre of total fish in a perfect pond. Think in pounds of fish instead of how many. you have to decide if you want quality or quantity.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

BACK TO TOP