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In a pond with lots of minnows, grass shrimp and baby tilpia would the YP feed heavy on the abundant crayfish also or target the small fish mostly and leave the crayfish alone?
I am thinking they will eat the crayfish as much as any thing else...But wanted to ask about every one elses thoughts...
Last edited by BobbyRice; 10/13/15 11:57 AM.
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In our pond just about every born in the pond perch we catch have crayfish and bugs in them mostly then second is minnows.
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Bobby I have caught YP with crayfish pincers protruding from their vents, so I know they will utilize as forage. However, in my YP/BG pond I have 80 10-12" YP stocked and they didn't come close to managing the crayfish population - I have literally thousands of crayfish that escaped predation into adulthood. Just something to consider...I've since stocked an adult SMB and am trapping 100 weekly, still apparently not making a dent. It's amazing, I only stocked 50 adult crays in Fall 2014.
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your SMB must be fat then////
thanks for the feed back every one its helpful ...
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Bobby I have caught YP with crayfish pincers protruding from their vents, so I know they will utilize as forage. However, in my YP/BG pond I have 80 10-12" YP stocked and they didn't come close to managing the crayfish population - I have literally thousands of crayfish that escaped predation into adulthood. Just something to consider...I've since stocked an adult SMB and am trapping 100 weekly, still apparently not making a dent. It's amazing, I only stocked 50 adult crays in Fall 2014. Hmmm...trade ya mag chips for crayfish! Serious though...do you think the crayfish are helping out controlling FA, other unwanted vegetation and muck?
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/13/15 02:36 PM. Reason: Clarification
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My crayfish have denuded the pond of all algae and plants and increased turbidity so visibility is less than 24" now - used to be 10' visibility due to well irrigation.
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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Wow! I can see why you are looking to thin the herd.
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Off topic here, but YP are one of MY food preferences, especially if they are eating crayfish.
There were some Bloody Red Shrimp in Muskegon (invasive) that the heads concluded it was a good thing, but haven't heard anything in years.
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YP will eat mostly the smaller crayfish that can be fairly easily swallowed. I don't think YP will consume a crayfish much longer than 1.7"-2" body length.
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YP will eat mostly the smaller crayfish that can be fairly easily swallowed. I don't think YP will consume a crayfish much longer than 1.7"-2" body length. My traps mirror this statement to the T.
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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exactlywhat I suspected...thanks for al the feed back...
Teehjaeh......what species of crayfish do you have?
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TJ, How are you seeing and catching your crayfish? I put in 40 this spring, and haven't seen any since. I've also added 250 grass shrimp, and haven't seen any of those either. Just curious. I think I've read where the best time to see them is at night.. Thanks, Jeff
FYI, I'm pretty far overstocked with YP, and I've caught 30 recently on FHM, but overall I've got more FHM in my one acre pond, than I thought would be possible.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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SetterGuy - Where did you get your shrimp from?
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They are either Northern or Papershell...I really should take some better photos soon with my good camera for Bill to help ID.
Crayfish are easy to catch - just use a minnow trap baited with anything [feed, dead tadpoles, dead fatheads, cat/dogfood] and they will come. I typically leave mine for a few days before pulling.
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SetterGuy - Where did you get your shrimp from? I got them from Carol at Fattig Fish Farm in Nebraska. She shipped first class post. It took three days for them to arrive. I had to leave town on business. My wife picked them up at the post office, and drove them up to the pond. I think she said there were just a few that didn't make it. That was back in May or June. I have not seen one since. I keep saying I'm going to go back up to the pond at night with a flashlight, but I haven't done it yet. Hopefully they have survived. I bought 40 crayfish at a local pond supply shop. I put them in this spring also. No sightings on those either. I have very little plant growth, but I've dumped in a lot of 8" rock in places. I'm hoping they can get established in it.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Crayfish are easy to catch - just use a minnow trap baited with anything [feed, dead tadpoles, dead fatheads, cat/dogfood] and they will come. I typically leave mine for a few days before pulling.
I've got to wait until my explosion of tadpoles subsides. Every time I put in a minnow trap it gets literally packed with tadpoles. Great big ones. It'll pass, one of these days.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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Thanks - I think she is out of that business now.
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Grass shrimp rarely trap in a cage, one needs to sample them with a net along edges of vegetation in shallow water.
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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re: Minnow Traps
I had some galvanized minnow traps in a pond, along with one black vinyl coated one. The galvanized ones had GHS, FHM, Bullfrog tadpoles and a few Papershells in them. The black vinyl coated one had nothing.
All traps had a generous handful of Optimal fish food in them.
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My experience too Scott. The black vinyl coated ones suck.
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I've got the galvanized one. Maybe I'm using it in the wrong place. I'm putting it near the bank maybe 10' from shore. I have it suspended down about 20" held up by a milk jug. Wrong technique for FHM? I am catching nothing but tadpoles.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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FWIW I toss my G traps out far enough that they lay on the bottom and have a few inches of water over the top. I lay them parallel to the shore and catch lots of FHM. Some days I don't even bait the traps.
Last edited by Bill D.; 10/15/15 08:13 AM.
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This is exactly how I started out using the trap. The tadpoles would be in it before it hit the bottom. I'm going to take it away from the feeder. The tadpoles seem to be heavier by the feeder. The FHM are too though.
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
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I catch tadpoles in there as well. Green Northern a lot but haven't seen any bullfrog ones.
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If you just let the traps sit for several days, minnows or tadpoles will enter, get stuck and die. That attracts the crayfish which will come and feast on their carcasses. Zero effort, very simple - works for me every time. Any decent population of crayfish should be sampled even in unbaited traps.
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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