Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Crappie diet?

When I first stated this BCP experiment, my thought was to use them as the top line predator. I don't have any bass in the 1 acre pond. I started out with YP,BG, and BCP. My hope was with heavy fishing pressure, trapping and the BCP, the pond would stay in balance.

Then mother nature threw me the proverbial curve ball! BH got into the pond and this I know for a fact. The BCP couldn't keep up with their recrutiment.

So, short answer...made into a really long answer...no bass in the pond.

Tums- They are in both of my ponds (1 acre and 1/4 acre). For my goals and uses of the ponds, I am very happy with my choice of BCP. My orginal goal was to create a sustainable population of 10-12" /.5-1 lb BCP. They are where I want them as far as numbers and sizes. The question is can I keep them there and for how long.

Side note: We just received .5" of rain yesterday. The first rain my ponds have received since July!! The worst drought on record for my location. When your pond drops 30% of its water and freeze up is coming fast, a man starts to be concerned! I sure hope I don't have to start over.

MNfish IF i may quiz you again. how many BCP & BG did you stock and what size? Where they stocked at the same or at different times?
Sorry if I am a bothering you. I just like to hear what you have done and how.
Thanks

Thanks George. Actually after looking at Todd's site again I realized am going with way less hybrid crappie just to be safe. Todd's site says you can stock up to "100-150 per surface acre" and my order yesterday was for only stocking 100 hybrid crappies in my 4 acre lake.

Shucks Tums - When it comes to talking about or writing about anything my pond experiences have taught me, you could NEVER bother me

Sorry, I have to leave town in a few minutes. I will continue Sunday night.

Had the hybrids been available I would have stocked them as well. I only put 30 BCP (they were black nosed as well which are not native here as far as I know) in when I stocked my pond 3 years ago. I know I lost a few at first as I saw them float up and many were probably eaten by the GSF that were in the pond.

I know at least 6 made it as they have since been removed. So not sure how many of the initial fish made it or are still in there, or if they were even able to spawn. I think this next spring will let me know and I will post any concerns I may have.

I hope to at least achieve what mnfish has and pull out eatable fish and I will be happy for a while.

Again if I could do over I would still try the hybrids as I too like crappie and I think the more people on here that try them we can determine if they are any better suited for ponds than the white or black counterparts.

Thanks

I have a friend that often uses 1" BG to catch crappie. Catch results are often good.

The real answer

White Crappie - FishBase


nekton finfish bony fish Aplodinotus grunniens USA recruits/juv.
zoobenthos insects insects Diptera larvae USA recruits/juv.
nekton finfish bony fish Dorosoma cepedianum USA recruits/juv.
zoobenthos insects insects Ephemeroptera nymphs USA recruits/juv.
nekton finfish bony fish Menidia beryllina USA recruits/juv.
nekton finfish bony fish unidentified USA recruits/juv.
zoobenthos benth. crust. benth. copepods unidentified USA recruits/juv.
zoobenthos insects insects unidentified USA recruits/juv.
zoobenthos benth. crust. n.a./other benth. crustaceans unidentified crustaceans USA juv./adults



Black Crappie - FishBase

nekton finfish bony fish cyprinid remains USA juv./adults
nekton finfish bony fish Dorosoma cepedianum USA juv./adults
zoobenthos benth. crust. n.a./other benth. crustaceans unidentified crustaceans USA juv./adults
zoobenthos insects insects Unidentified odonate USA juv./adults


They eat a lot of small BG and LMB yoy and shad , shiners and other small fish.

Tums - My 1 acre pond was stocked with:
1) 200 BCP total, 3-4" 100, 5-7" 100
2) 200 BG total, 4-6"
3) 100 YP total, 4-6"

All stocked at the same time. I do not pellet feed either pond.

My small pond is really an over stocked mix of all species. A very kid friendly,easy to fish pond. Now its turned into a NP experiment.

Thanks MNfish, I was thinking of going with 200 BCP 3" to 5" per acre in a couple weeks (they will not deliver here until near Thanksgiving due to warm weather). I already put 333 2" CNBG, 150 2" BG, 150 2" RES, 3500 Gambusia minnows per acre on 9-13-12. The minnows have already had some reproduction going on as I have many now less than .5" long schooling. I feed my fish 38% feed. Grind up about 25# a week to feed the minnows around the edge. The other fish get as much as they will eat. I am already seein fish near the 5" range coming up so I will have fish bedding next spring for the BCP to forage on also.
Thanks

Crappie are pretty aggressive and will eat anything that comes across their path and can fit in their mouth.

Grasshoppers, moths, worms (I've caught them on 5" plastic worms), any fish if they're small enough to swallow, tadpoles, you name it. Biggest one I caught from my neighbor's pond was on top water, so you can add frogs to that list too.