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Joined: Jan 2008
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Hello all;
In my .15 ac pond I'm looking to stock about 50 Triploid Black Crappie sometime this Spring/Summer with a goal of creating a trophy fishery - maybe challenging the current state record in a few years. However, I wanted to try establishing a strong FH population prior to stocking. I know I'll need some time to pull off a few spawns - with that in mind I want to get FH in ASAP [besides I'm aching for some projects to complete to cure this cabin fever!].
With that in mind, I need some guidance on the lowest temps FH will tolerate for stocking. FYI: Water temps in NE currently are upper 30's/lower 40's but should be rising significantly over the next few weeks to the upper 40's/low 50's.
Thanks in advance!
TJ
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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As long as you acclimate them, you can stock them as soon as the ice is gone. However, there is no real advantage to doing this until the water temp is about 60, when they will start spawning.
As a recommendation, once you get your crappies stocked, stock some 4"-5" GSH. They will be too large for your crappie to eat, however their young won't and the crappies will love the secondary food source besides just the FHM... That is if you are just trying to grow monster crappies.
Keep us updated on your experiment!
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Just out of curiosity, where are you getting your triploid BCP from? I have never been able to find a source...
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68 |
As long as you acclimate them, you can stock them as soon as the ice is gone. However, there is no real advantage to doing this until the water temp is about 60, when they will start spawning.
As a recommendation, once you get your crappies stocked, stock some 4"-5" GSH. They will be too large for your crappie to eat, however their young won't and the crappies will love the secondary food source besides just the FHM... That is if you are just trying to grow monster crappies.
Keep us updated on your experiment! No advantage to stocking now? Ah, except to serve as a cure to this horrible case of cabin fever I've been battling for months! I not only get to hand sort 400 FH's, but also get to finally position my pallets for spawning. That's a couple of days I get an excuse to work on the land...and every excuse counts when the ground is frozen and all other projects are on indefinite hold! I will certainly keep anyone interested in the loop. And that's great advice on the GSH...wonder if one needs to really worry about applying spawning mats as habitat for them? Any experience just allowing them to do their thing without creating spawning mats?
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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OP
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68 |
Just out of curiosity, where are you getting your triploid BCP from? I have never been able to find a source... I too am looking for a reliable supplier of TripBCP. I have a source but I have approach the situation creatively - however I am thinking of contacting our NRD and asking them how one could get their hands on some. I know they stock them around NE...amazing it seems no one can find them in the forum considering the connections we all have. Maybe someone will provide a good lead for us as a response to this thread? Anyone?
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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400 fatheads does not sound like much.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Agreed Sunil - but it's a small watershed and I am a little paranoid about introducing invasive species so I want to hand sort and confirm species. Think I'm being too paranoid?
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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I think given a year with no predation 400 might establish themselves? That's my central inquiry...I'd love to think the population with exponentially grow.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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400 FHM under no predation for a year will be 40,000! Well, maybe not that many but darn near close to it. I don't think you are being too paranoid. I have seen so many species mixed in the FHM from several different fish suppliers. Goldfish, carp, gambusia, GSH, GSF, BG, creek chubs, red shiners, dollar sunfish the list goes on... Guys wonder how GSF or carp got into their pond... I would be it wasn't eggs stuck to a birds foot or some miracle, it was sloppy hatchery practices where undesirable fish get mixed in with desirable fish. Hand sorting 400 FHM would be time consuming, but for what your plans are absolutely imperative!
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
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Thanks for the response CJBS - I was hoping for a take like this on the issue and agree if one wants to spend the time and effort doing it right the first time it will most likely pay off in the long term.
I wouldn't mind GSH, RSH, or Creek Chubs so much...but lacking any topline predators in any of my ponds [no LMB only SMB and HSB] I worry the carp, bullhead, GSF would go unchecked and multiply without any interference.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68 |
Not to bag on GSF....sorry JHAP. I don't want the GSF curse directed at me. One thousand apologies.
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,748 Likes: 295
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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I thought it was only going to be a month or two between the FH and Crappie. My fault.
If it's a year, that's different.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68 |
I thought it was only going to be a month or two between the FH and Crappie. My fault.
If it's a year, that's different. I'm kinda making this up as I go, Sunil. I think I've already accepted from the first post last night that I'll most likely simply use FH's to feed the CP on a weekly or bimonthly basis. I have a cheap source $4/100 and while that feeding process monthly might get a little expensive I could always try to introduce GSH or maybe even BG whose fry could help take some burden off the FHs?
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5 |
Guys wonder how GSF or carp got into their pond... I would be it wasn't eggs stuck to a birds foot or some miracle, it was sloppy hatchery practices where undesirable magnificent fish get mixed in with desirable fish. Muhaaa, Muhaaaaaaa, Muhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,615 Likes: 5
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Not to bag on GSF....sorry JHAP. I don't want the GSF curse directed at me. One thousand apologies. One thousand apologies accepted.
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68 |
I wonder for the TBCP pond if having a few spawning pairs of BG or GSF would help supplement the steady diet of FH and ease the reliance on my wallet...I doubt any would make it past 3" or so...perfect size for an 18" BCP.
Did I just suggest stocking GSF? Something....is controlling....my mind....seems to be coming....from the West coast...no longer...in control of thoughts....
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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JHAP you are too much! HAHA As they say, one man's trash is another man's treasure!
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68
Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
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Chairman, Pond Boss Legacy award; Moderator; field correspondent Lunker
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 8,798 Likes: 68 |
Trash? Yikes...I'm not getting anywhere near this storm a brewing. You'd better don your aluminum helmet, CJBS - psionic mind whip is a comin!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~ Henry David Thoreau
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 10,458 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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JHAP knows deep down inside I love the mighty GSF...
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