Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking Mystery Crappie

I caught a nice size crappie from my pond this afternoon. I never stocked crappie, is it possible when it was stocked a little over 2 years ago they accidentally put one in. This is the first time I've seen a crappie in my pond?

It is very possible... I think very likely as a matter of fact. Has your pond had a flood event where another body of water touched yours through an outflow pipe? Is your pond fed by a stream that has a pond further upstream of it? The crappies could have washed down stream from the other pond into yours... These are all possible ways the crappie(s) could have found their way into your pond? An unknown unwanted fisherman could have dumped a few in your pond as well... Some think birds are good fish spreaders as well? It may simply be one lone crappie. What size pond do you own? Often times crappie struggle to pull off a successful spawn in a small pond, so there may be no issue as the original stockers may die off in few more years.

mikel, I caught 2 crappi in a row last summer in my pond. I killed both of them. I was pretty worried that I would catch more but I never did. I tried minnows and fished for them for a couple hours but never did catch anything but a couple bass and some GSF. I still don't know how they got in the pond but I'm glad they never spawned (hopefully I haven't spoken too soon).

I have a few guesses as to how they got in there. The usual suspects: someone just dumped them in or they came with some other stocked fish.

Not even a thank you, I had to carry them fish a long ways to get them to your pond, a little thanks would be nice, geeeeesh!!!! You should see the baby muskies and bullheads I dropped in there........

Joe is just returning the favor because of the flatheads I airmailed into his pond.


Mikel,
We have crappie in 2 ponds. We never intentionally stocked them in either pond. I'm guessing some crappie made it in disguised at fatheads. Also, during times of flooding, a creek can back up to our ponds. We've had carp, gizzard shad, alligator gar, crappie, and bullheads come in from floods.

We just try to keep a close eye on what is going on in the ponds. Bullhead fry, for example, are very noticeable because they form black "clouds" near the surface. An electrofishing survey could be in order if you think there are more than just a few crappie.

Since I learned to fly I've been doing a lot of aerial stocking of ponds. Come to think of it I think I did fly over your pond.

Cecil, is it eggs sticking to your Baird feathers or Baird feet? Or do you carry whole fish in your mouth and then release them?

I stock a lot of ponds when I'm flying while sleeping/dreaming, but I can never seem to get high enough no matter how hard I flap my arms.

JoeG, easy about the bullhead talk...smoothies are trophy fish where I come from

Nah...that's just too easy...

CJBS, I don't have any other body of water that would bring fish into my pond. The pond is 1.25 acres in size. I'm hoping there aren't any more crappie. If I catch another I'll let you know.

Thanks, for the input guys. The way I caught the crappie was in a wire catfish net. It is 19"in diameter and 60" long. It was baited with that real stinky cheese.

Sounds like your stocking was contaminated with them then... Try fishing for them and see if you catch anymore. If you don't, you probably had a few, they never spawned and will die out. If you start catching a few more, perhaps consider an electrofishing survey if it really concerns you... Just understand they maybe in there now and you need to consider the ramifications.

Sunil, there's nothing to flying.
You just gotta go up faster than you're going down.
Simple.

I have gizzard shad, bullheads, and green sunfish along with white crappie that I did not stock but I have had two floods that could have brought them from upstream.

Fish love to follow floods to new homes...