Here are 4 important steps for controlling crappie:

1. Don't stock crappie in small ponds. Ok, I know you already did, but this is an example for for others considering what to stock. Crappie don't always pose a problem, but sometimes they do. I am more familiar with Black Crappie stunting, but much of this advise applies to White Crappie as well.

2. Maintain a good Largemouth Bass population with a variety of sizes. You have to have a predator that will clean up the fry and fingerling before they become a problem. That predator is the fingerling & yearling Largemouth Bass. It is not enough to have a couple dozen lunkers swimming around, because they simply do not want to bother with such a minute meal, and once the crappie attain prey size for the adult bass, you are already in crappie crisis mode.

3. Keep every crappie that you catch, especially in the over-abundant size class. It may not seem like you're making any head-way, but fishing can be a very effective way of controlling pan fish. It is amazing what a couple guys and a 12-pack of their favorite beverage can accomplish!

4. Consider using a "B-shaped" fish trap to remove small crappie. This type of trap has a verticle slot that panfish slide right into, unlike the cylinder traps that are commonly used for minnows & shiners. If you can't find one in your area, we offer them on our web site...just enter b trap in our search engine and you'll find it. A word of caution though...consider what else you will be trapping out. This is not an option for every situation.

I hope this helps,
Mike Robinson
Keystone Hatcheries

Mike Robinson
Keystone Hatcheries