Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Some suspect suggestions which sound good

New pond and first year stocking, and from reading this site I have learned to be weary of fish salespeople.

SOOOO, are there many benefits to tadpoles and crawdads???

Crawdads are a delicacy to fish. However, it is unlikely that you will get any sustained forage base from them. They don't last long enough. They don't seem to like tadpoles.

Dave,

Maybe he should try some "hybred crawdads"

We put in a hundred Bullfrog tadpoles in during May 2002 when we did the initial fathead/golden shiner stocking of our one acre pond. Lots of Green Frogs and Leopard Frogs (in mating season, at least) showed up on their own, so I don't know if Bullfrogs would have "volunteered" or not. Anyway, one benefit I've gotten was two weeks ago when I found the hugest Bullfrog I've ever seen slow-poking his way through the shallows in maybe 35 degree water. Until I tried to get it in a bucket, I thought it was a medium sized turtle (the legs were kind of obscured by muddy water in a hole). I did not know Bullfrogs could get this big (his body would have covered my flattened hand, the legs were probably a foot long) - I never saw one two-thirds this size during all the time I spent mucking around ponds and lakes as a kid. For me, it was worth the cost of the tadpoles to get the thrill of seeing this monster!

Theo, I'm going to try to get some bullfrog eggs this spring. There's not much scarier than walking around the waters edge at dawn and having one of those things launch themselves into the water. I love it.

I must be lucky. I have never introduced either bull frogs or crawdads into my pond, but I have plenty of both. Sometimes I wonder if the crawdads are going to take over. They sure make a mess around the edge with their tunnels.

I watch the crawdads around the edge of my pond reaching up to grab some pellets when I feed.
I have also watched the frogs float in among the pellets, waiting for minnows to get close enough to snatch. I used to worry that the frogs and crawdads would have a negative impact on the minnow/bluegill reproduction, but I can't see where they have hurt a thing.

Bass going in this spring, should have plenty to eat.

I'll probably go down to the creek and get some crawdads -- they should at least multiply with more than a year witout harassment. And the frogs will find it easy enough.

If you want to establish a crayfish population I would collect crayfish from a lake or pond, not a creek. Crayfish from a lake are more likely to survive in your pond than crayfish from a creek. There are hundreds of diffrent species of crayfish. Some like in ditches with no fish, some like in small streams, some like rocks, some like mud. Find a lake that is similar to yours, set a crayfish trap overnight and throw what you catch into your pond. That is your best bet. I would try to avoid papershells and other burrowing crayfish. They don't give a bass much chance of eating them.

Did not know that -- thanks TY!!