Does anyone have any photos of CNBG nesting beds. We stocked with them and think we see where they have nested, and perhaps have spawned, but not really certain.

Use the search there should be plenty in the archive, look under bluegill, same beds

There's a really cool one in the archives I think. I'll try to find it. If I can't, Eric can.

Bluegill Spawning Beds - lots of information and additional links. Still looking for pics.

The Structure Thread from the archives has some very good information as well as a couple pics.

I recall seeing one that was really cool, but can't find it.

Thanks guys, this has really been helpful.

Here you go - Beds and CNBG on bed

Great pictures, thanks guys, but I'm puzzled. I see this exact thing in my pond, but have yet to see a baby CNBG. Any ideas why I haven't seen them. Should I just know they're there and leave it at that. Do they live where I wouldn't see them?

You should have seen the offspring if there was a spawn. What size are all the different species in the pond ?

at the present, and when I saw the nesting beds, the only thing in the pond are CNBG, minnows, and readear. The redear are much smaller than the CNBG

A dumb question, would they have made the nest and then not spawn?

Can anyone tell me if I should add Black Crappie to my pond. I've heard many bad words about adding Crappie but does that include Black Crappie? I understand there is a huge difference between White Crappie vs Black Crappie. I would like to have some Black Crappie, but not at the risk of my pond as a whole.

Pond is currently 3/4 acre but when full it will be about 4.5 acres and 28 feet deep at the deepest point.

The things that you heard also apply to Black Crappie. If it was my pond, I wouldn't.

You need a minimum of 25 acres to even take a chance on crappie.

Here is the link to Crappie (including black crappie)in ponds. A lot there.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92447#Post92447

I would not put crappie in a pond unless I was managing for them like the SEP note in the archives (FH , tshad , crappie and HSB IIRC) and it was a larger pond (15 acres).

Would broken up concrete blocks make good cover and would the mortar do anything bad to the water in the pond?

It could make good cover for small fish , inverts and craws etc. In most ponds the lime in the blocks and mortar would help (low alkalinity)but would not be a plus in high alkalinity waters.

If you use the broken blocks, I would make fair size piles. At least a couple feet high. In my opinion, better to make fewer piles with the same amount of rock or broken blocks than very small piles or worse scattering them single over the bottom of the pond. I put some smaller stuff in my pond that is already mostly covered with FA or sediment. The larger piles will stay viable longer and thereby be more useful.

An example would be a three foot diameter pile a couple foot high minimum. If you have lots of the broken blocks, five or six feet in diameter and three feet high would be even better.

I'm not an expert, but it is what I would do with broken blocks. The small fish and critters will love the holes and hiding places it makes. Small fish and critters concentrated attracts the biger fish.

snrub, correct, the single layer of rubble gets covered pretty quickly and sinks into the pond bottom in less than 2 years (at least around here).

Yes pile them up. I would not use them for CNBG beds but would use gravel - lots on the Forum the subject.