Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Keeping minnows for bait

Another productive day of Operation Crappie Eradication along with 3, 12" and under LMB. And this doesn't include the 50 BCP caught and cleaned after work from Mon-Wed.



But I have a minnow question.

Using minnows over the crappie jig was about a 2:1 catching ratio. So I'm wondering, instead of buying minnows from the bait shop at $2-$2.50 a dozen, I can get 1000 FHM for $35 from my "fish guy".

I know this is going to be a big "it depends" answer, but if I were to put 1000 FHM in my 100 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank along with an air-stone, covered in my shop, changing the water periodically, along with very light feedings (if necessary) does anyone have an idea as to how long I can reasonably expect them to survive? And if 1000 is too many in the 100 gallon stock tank, I have a 6' round galvanized stock tank I could use as well (but more work to get it prepped and in the shop).

If I use a dozen a day it would take about 90 days to go through 1000 FHM, although many more would be used on my upcoming Crappie-thon-eradication weekends (kids, friends, family, etc.).

Maybe it's more trouble than what it's worth and keep in mind I don't want to raise them, I just want to keep them alive. But cost-wise if FHM would be the right bait for getting these Crappie out, I'm willing to try! And they still haven't spawned yet so I'm on a major quest to get them out before they do (along with an already freezer full of filets)!

Thanks in advance for any help, ideas and/or advice!

Even tho FHM can live in a toxic waste dump, I think you would have to run some sort of filtration system on the stock tank.

But, other than that, yeah you can do that.

A small homemade recirculating system could hold all the fatheads you'd ever want.

Wow, at least you are getting your exercise reeling all of those in.

When I saw the picture first thought was "what are you using to catch them, then you answered me in your text.

Do you use a whole FHM? Those are pretty small fish to take a whole one, but I guess BCP have a bigger mouth than a BG.

Good luck with the eradication and have fun.

LOL, hearty little buggers!

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Snrub, I have no idea what kind of minnows I'm getting from the bait shop but here's a pic of one @ 2", and once I find where the BCP are schooled, it's game on catching one nearly every cast. Encouraging and fun to catch but discouraging to even imagine how many are still in there after culling over 1600 now!



Yesterday it was around 70 degrees with winds gusting up to 40 mph. It was interesting casting an ultralight in that head-wind but along with the BCP and the (3) 12" LMB, I pulled in 4 HSB, 2 on the minnows and 2 on the Crappie jig. Exciting would be an understatement!



Thanks again for the replies and I'll do some research on adding a filtration and circulation system.

Those look like FHM to me. CJ or others can verify. Give your plan a try and learn if your methods can work. I would split at least some of the minnows into another tank to reduce chances of problems. As you learn it will become easier. As an option, You could also build a cage out of 1/4"mesh and keep the minnows in that. Always having fresh water with cage in the pond and light feedings should be allow them to survive months. See the small black dots the size of pepper on the fish? That is black spot disease and indicates to me that these fish were wild caught maybe in low maintenance grow out ponds.

Is your plan with the pond to raise HSB, or were you culling them as well?

Bill, thanks for the great info. And regarding the black spots, is it possible they picked that up after being in a plastic coffee can for 3 days? The ones bought and used out of the minnow bucket have not shown any spots, but I'll keep an eye on them.

The downside with the 1/4" mesh cage is the possibility of algae growth which I've had on my other cages (in short order) so I'll give the stock tank a shot and keep as many in minnow buckets at the pond as they can hold.

Snakebite, After a fish-kill June, 2012 I stocked 100 LMB, 100 HSB and about 2000 BG. Obviously the BCP spawn from Spring 2012 survived which is why I have so many in there. Right now I'm only removing BCP and LMB 12" and under.

My goal is simply (yeah right) big LMB and HSB, with BG for forage and for the kids to catch.

Holy cow!

1600 culled. That is a lot of BCP

Correction, 1700

And decided this year, small as they are, they're ALL hitting the collection tub (as seen in photo) and then to the grease! And I'm getting pretty darn quick at fileting these out

Lovnlivin, way to go on catching the crappies.

How old is the HSB? When did you stock, just curious on growth rate, do you pellet feed or all natural? They are a blast to catch...I'm sure that size was fun on the ultra light

Thanks, MSC!

Beastman, I stocked them at 6-8" in the Fall of 2012 and they took to pellet feeding right away, and I try to feed twice per day (hand tossed). I feed Aquamax 600 for the BG and Aquamax LMB pellets for the HSB and LMB that were taking to pellets as well.

The 4 HSB caught Saturday were all around 14-15" and healthy (by the size of their bellies) but I didn't get a chance to weigh them. Learning more and more from the great folks here on PB, I'm hoping for even better growth this year as I've learned that even though they stop feeding after 15 minutes, give them time to digest the pellet(s) and toss out some more.

And yes, catching them on the ultralight was a blast and even more fun when I caught one for the first time on a fly-rod last year, and it will only get better . I'm just thrilled to see the winter survival of the HSB and LMB (but I've yet to see an adult BG).

All minnows in baitshops in lincoln and Omahacome from a couple hatcheries I work with and are supposed to be 100% FHM. Only exception rarely is BH, BG or sticklebacks.

I suggest using tube jigs or berkely gulp. Can catch 50 fish on one bait and works as well as minnows if fished correctly. Vary technique high/low slow/fast/stationary and the crappie will come. They will be heading to beds soon and a simple hook and colorado blade will take bedding fish.

Minnows are great, but not as efficient as jigs.

It's varied for me, TJ. When the pressure's high (when they're finicky) I have better luck with the live bait. When the pressure's low and/or dropping, and I find where they're schooling, it's game on and I'll stick with plastics, etc.

For me I definately favor the crappie jigs! More fishing time, better challenge and less time baiting the hook, which makes them as you say, more efficient!

With the less experienced though, I have no problem setting them up with a hook, bobber and minnow and watching them have fun.

Regarding the BCP spawn, I was told they don't make or create beds, that the females lay their eggs on rocks or hard surfaces, the males then fertilize, but that they don't stick around to protect the eggs. But maybe that was related to my BOW where I have no rock or gravel beds, just mud bottom with the ocassional rock, cinder blocks, etc., scattered throughout.

So which ever is true, maybe they'll be fooled into thinking our weather has warmed up these past several days, lay their eggs, then they'll freeze up when we drop back into the 20's this week and end up with a "bust" spawn

So far just about every one I've fileted has been full of eggs

If u need to harvest high qty cp u should employ a fyke net and remove hundreds at a time and sell them. They make great lmb and fhc bait. Caught my largest of both species on 8" bcp.

You could always use both at the same time. A crappie jig and then a minnow about 12" up the line on a snell or a drop shot type rig. You might even catch doubles.

Bill that was my thought too!! until he said coffe can. As I have had "coffee Can" black spot show up on my minnows too. but it only happens with fresh cans.

Lovin Livin, With your cage, have you thought of keeping it in Shade. Like under a dock or under a man made island. As Algee needs light to grow and if you can find the right amount of shade, you can cure your problem.

Make a second cage and when one gets thick with algae dump fish into a clean cage. Alternate back and forth. The cage only needs to be as big and as a 55 gallon barrel or slightly larger 3ftx3ftx4ft deep to hold 1000FHM for a month to 6wks.

Thanks for all the replies including the ideas and suggestions!

The first one to be put to use is MSC's double-hook idea (why didn't I think of that?), so thanks!

And sorry, James but for what I'm trying to do, seeing this about put me in cardiac arrest! (nice catch though!)



Again, I appreciate all the replies! So depending on which route I take, I'll report back on how the operation is going.

PS - TJ, just the thought of how many I've taken out and what they're getting for 8" BCP really stirs the imagination