Never say never when it comes to fish. Some raise common carp in ponds for food, even specialty food such as gefiltefish, smoked carp etc. All fish have a place in the food chain/ food web but maybe they will not enhance a small pond fishery. We by far, do not know everything there is to know about who always works best where. Different goals require different techniques.

Dave Willis (coauthor) has a new fisheries article in J. Freshwater Ecology (Vol 18,No1,2003) about predatory effects of northern pike and LMB. In the article the authors note the ability of 12" pike to selectively prey on 4" common carp in a larger lake. In another lake carp up to 12" were eaten by pike 24" and larger. Maybe pike can be an effecive carp predator?
I wonder if pike may also help control carp populations in small lakes or larger ponds?

How about stocking a pond with green sunfish, suckers or carp and northern pike? Never say never. Some say suckers have the sweetest meat of all the fishes. They have to have some redeeming value for all those extra bones.

Someday I will put an article in PBoss mag about what 16 Hyb stripers grew into in a 3/4 ac pond. Amazing fish. 24-27" in 5-6 years.

I will say, I never want my mother-in-law in my pond because she doesn't know how to behave & pees in the pool. Smile.

aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management