Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Hybrid Blk/Wh (Magnolia Crappie)where to buy

Looking to stock my pond its approximately 4 - 5 acres. I have an existing white crappie population but they are stunted in my view. I am looking to stock my pond with some hybrid Crappie (black/white crappie) or magnolia crappie. I am in the south east and would like to get any feedback where I could purchase them for stocking and also if anyone has any experience stocking the hybrid.

From what I read the hybrid crappie will not over populate the pond are very aggressive and grow in size very quickly. That is exactly what I am looking for in my pond.

I have reached out to a few fisheries but so far I have only found either only White Crappie or Black Crappie. If I introduce Black Crappie would the naturally mate and reproduce the Hybrid over time?

Looking for some help knowledge on this topic.

Ya gotta be careful with crappie, but I have hybrid crappie in a couple of my ponds. They are healthy and have not come anywhere close to over-populating. In fact my fiancee caught a nice hybrid crappie last weekend.

Welcome to PBF ValleyLake!

My understanding is that stunting is usually caused by over population and the fish over eating the available forage. The result of insufficient forage is poor growth and stunting. IMO I wouldn't stock any "new" crappies until you've addressed the current "stunted" crappie population problem. I think the "new" crappie would just add to the problem by adding even more mouths to feed on an already depleted forage base.

Not a pro...just my 1 cent

Bill D.

I think you should first verify your belief that your current crappie population is stunted. Do that by reading up on relative weights calculations: https://www.sdstate.edu/sites/default/files/nrm/outreach/pond/upload/Pond-Boss-24-Jul-Aug2013.pdf

If your fish are indeed stunted then I agree with Bill D that you need to work on that issue before adding more mouths to feed. Take lots of crappie out and don't take any bass out - perhaps add larger LMB and HSB. Monitor the relative weights of the crappie - it should start increasing but it will take time.