Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Corrective stocking How to handle crappie??

Well...I didn't listen. I have crappie on my 2/4 acre pond along with bass and blue gill. I want to get rid of the crappie but would rather not kill off the whole tank. Will hybrid stripers help with this. It is my understanding that their feeding habits lend themselves to eating crappie. Any help would be appreciated.

What size pond is it you have? 2/4?

I would think that big Stripers would prey on crappie. But they will also go after you adult bluegill and intermediate size bass.

If you have a dock on this pond, try sinking about 10 christmas trees near it in one big pile. This will bring them close and you can have a Saturday afternoon Crappie Rodeo with Friend and a Saturday evening fish fry.

Just my thoughts.

Sorry, that was supposed to be 3/4 acre. I actually have quite a few tanks. Two of the biggest are dedicated as bass territory. Some of the smaller ones we have filled up with fatheads and shiners and use them mostly as "frog ponds". (can't help myself, love those frog legs). I really wouldn't mind the stripers in the pond in question. We don't do enough fishing anyway to properly keep the bass thinned out. These stripers might be just the ticket. It was my understanding that crappie and blue gill lived in different areas of the tank (is this true). What forage fish do you pond meisters use for stripers?

Crappie are no bueno in a pond that small. Their hinged jaw and prolific spawning habits allow them to compete with your bass.

My experience with hybrid stripers is quite positive. These fish are readily available from outlets listed in the Resource Guide. Hybrids do not spawn, so you have control over their numbers, but they reach weights of 12 pounds by chowing on anything in its path, including crappie.

Better yet, you may supplement the natural forage base with floating fish pellets. And when hooked, the hybrid is as stubborn as a divorce lawyer.

What's not to like?

Mark McDonald
Editor, Pond Boss

Mark, thank you for your info (and your great mag). Will the bluegill survive the stripers? Will they continue to supply enough forage? How many would you put in a small tank like mine?