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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8 |
Hey all,
I've got a 1 acre pond with LMB, BG, Warmouth, and a few grass carp. The LMB are stunted (working on fixing that) and the BG are everywhere, some of very decent size. I've been contemplating adding some CC to the pond. Will they disrupt anything in the balance of the pond? Can it hurt anything to have some CC stocked?
Thanks for your help, Stephen
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,544
Hall of Fame Lunker
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Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,544 |
Sounds like the pond is unbalanced anyway.. I'd atleast get what you got under control before adding another potential problem..
I believe in catch and release. I catch then release to the grease.. BG. CSBG. LMB. HSB. RES.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417 Likes: 794
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Posts: 28,417 Likes: 794 |
If the goal is to catch and eat some CC, and you feed the fish, then adding a few wouldn't hurt. If you don't feed, adding them will stress the forage fish population that is already stressed by the overabunance of LMB. Once caught and released it's been my experience that CC are very hard to catch again.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8 |
Sorry for my late reply, and thank you for your quick replies.
Ideally for my pond, I'd like a diverse pond, yet balanced to where I can catch decent (good eating) sized LMB, BG, and CC. The BG and CC would be for eating and the LMB would either be for eating as well or just for sport. At this point, I do not feed, but I am planning on starting to do so in the spring.
I'm really just wondering if adding CC would potentially wipe out the BG or LMB populations over time if not properly harvested? Other than potentially stressing the forage fish population, is there any other downside to adding the CC?
Thanks
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,544
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Like I said I'd get what you got balanced first.. The cc will compete with others for feed and can be very hard to catch..
I believe in catch and release. I catch then release to the grease.. BG. CSBG. LMB. HSB. RES.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,417 Likes: 794
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Larger CC WILL prey on fish. I doubt that they are picky.
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 8 |
I'm working on getting things balanced as is, but I don't get to fish my pond as often as I need to to get it to where I want it. Could the CC potentially HELP my overpopulation of LMB if they prey on the other fish?
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,544
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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I think at this time they'll just add another problem to the mix.. Just being honest.. If you have BG everywhere you shouldn't have stunted LMB, unless you have to many bass but if you remove bass you'll have an even more BG everywhere??
I believe in catch and release. I catch then release to the grease.. BG. CSBG. LMB. HSB. RES.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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For the most part, I agree with everything my friend ESSHUP has posted above.
In just the last few minutes I came in from setting a number of lines, with 6-8 in creek chub minnows on #4 and #6 circle hooks, to try and get some of the biggest channel cats out of my pond. This happens every few years. Over the last couple of weeks I've taken out four or five CC that were between 5-9 lbs. I still have several renegades that I see at feeding time that are in about the 25-35 inch category.
As I've posted a number of times, I have a real love/hate relationship with the channel cats. I doubt I'll ever quit stocking them. With age, they become very wise fish. And unfortunately, they are kind of like the real friendly dog that you love, but that roams the neighborhood and won't come home when you want, digs up your garden, sheds everywhere, and terrorizes your favorite cats and the grandkids.
On the "love" side, they grow really fast in a pond, especially if you have a feeder. They are delicious on the dinner table. In my opinion, they are a big part of what helps me produce trophy bluegill. I have nothing but years of empirical evidence, but I believe they are very similar bluegill predators to largemouth bass. From experience, they do not seem to affect LMB populations, or size, for ponds managed for big bluegill and catfish.
But, they are hard to catch when they get more than about 20 inches long. They make the pond muddy. They eat like pigs when the feeder goes off -- but worst of all, they slap their tails in defiance, rather than appreciation, when they gather a mouthful of fish pellets.
From my standpoint, I would stock them -- but not in large quantities. Maybe ten to twenty-five in the 8-12 inch category each season. However, if you do, you must harvest them the next season. Never put in more than you think you can harvest in the next season.
Good luck, Catfish Ken
Last edited by catmandoo; 09/07/12 09:11 PM.
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