http://springfieldil.craigslist.org/grq/5159722078.html

Never even crossed my mind to try these in a pond environment....anyone tried it and if so what was the results? I believe they are filter feeders, correct?

Dale, I now have a reasonably priced, local source for paddlefish. I think they'd be pretty cool to see cruising. They are docile, and filter plankton, so you'd need reasonably fertile water for them.

I am pretty sure the guy that posted the ad you linked, asked me to deliver 1000+ to someone near you, but decided to get his Illinois Dealer permit and deliver himself.

What's their tolerance for temps and/or O2 Rex? Any idea?

They re-introduced them in an East Texas lake last year.

Paddlefish re-introduced in East Texas lake

Had my eye on them for a while. Been other people that have stocked them. Cool fish and very tasty.

I have a bayou on my place that runs into Caddo lake and not that far from there. if they come upstream someday, they might just show up in my pond (with a little assistance)

Tracy

Tracy I've always loved Caddo Lake.
If Caddo was closer to Dallas my place would be there.
It's like a step back in time.
Love sipping a beer with a pole in the water at Johnson's Ranch.

Zep, I am a lucky man. I built a really nice place on Caddo about 10 yr's ago. We use it as a getaway. Also as a real-estate investment over the long term. I am not to sure how good of an investment it is but I always wanted a place there and it's about 45 min from my home and 10 min from my farm. Caddo is a unique place for sure, people get lost in the lake forest there when boating for their first time on the lake. I am not very far from Johnsons landing. Everyone should come to this lake, the only natural lake in Texas.

Tracy

Dale, if memory serves, paddlefish need a feeder river with gravel bars to spawn. Maybe they'd do okay in your pond if it is very fertile, but they could not reproduce.

Dale, many reservoirs and small quarry lakes have them, so DO tolerance has to be pretty good, They live upwards of 100 years, so water fertility is going to determine growth. I wouldn't expect to grow any 50 pounders in a lifetime without running water, but I think 20#+ should be common in 10 years or less.

Many public private partnerships are written into game laws so paddlefish can be planted in lakes to be harvested in 20-30 years for caviar production. they are unlikely going to reproduce in a pond or lake with no constant, deep inflow.

Caddo Lake and Paddlefish. Both are prehistoric looking. Wonder how a couple would do in my pond. I am on my third phytoplankton bloom for the year.

Camping and fishing Caddo was one of my favorite memories as a kid. We would bring grandads motor and rent a john boat at Johnson's landing....fish most of the day then set trot-lines. As a kid of 10-12 years old that lake was some kind of spooky at night while running trot-lines. I would sit in the front of the boat grabbing and pulling up the lines. Never knew if it was going to be a big catfish, snapping turtle or alligator-gar.

In later years I duck hunted with a guy out of Uncertain Texas. Really great memories running those narrow slews wide open in a john boat.

I've requested a quote from Rex (Rainman) for some fish, including these guys. It'll take a while but I'll be the guinea pig...I fit that mold fairly well anyway.

Wow, that looks incredible! Gotta visit there sometime...