Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Fly Fishing & Other Fish Species Channel Catfish First year Predator

Not many people realize how much the CC will prey on other species in a pond. 9 Months after being delivered at 3" long my CC have now reached 12" in length. I feed daily at 5# per acre. On June 6th I went to the pond and made 20 cast with a 3" white curly tail grub (pic attached of lure) and caught 12 CC & 3 CNBG. Simply put CC are predators earlier in life and only get worse as they get older. Just felt like I would put this out there for people to see that may not know.

I've advised several times NOT to stock CC with BG and LMB as I did. I did not realize when I stocked them have learned since that they will start to prey on the BG as they grow. I attribute a portion of my difficulties with LMB overcrowding to reduced BG populations.

I stocked 50 and only pulled out 5-6. I never see them but I believe at least some of them are still alive and eating BG.

Yep, I stocked CC in my 3 Ac BCP pond to help w/ population control.

CC are not , alone , in small numbers an effective predator of BG. But in high #s or in conjunction with LMB and there tendency to overcrowd it can be a big problem. Especially when the CC get 18 inches +. With almost all recruiting species proper harvest is required.

Glad to see this. I bucket stocked 10 - 16-20" CC into my 1 acre pond this spring in hopes of beginning the reduction of my BH explosion. Depending on what I see this year, with regards to the BH population, I will add 10 more or leave as is for another year. Eat away you fork tailed beauties!

I have usually stocked CC at the same time I put in forage fish. I have seen schools of CC chasing schools of FHM.

For those who may fight the dreaded BH. An almost 1 year follow up...

My BH problem seems to be reducing and in pretty quick order. I ended up stocking 21 CC into the pond along with (6) 12-14" LMB. I also made use of the fyke net and cast net.

Before the CC,LMB stocking and trapping obsession, I would constantly be catching 3-6" BH and the water, although not horrible, was perpetually stirred up.

This year I can count on one hand the number of BH's we have caught and trapping is a fraction of what it was last year. I realize they are not gone and probably never will be gone. Also, the water quality is back to where it was before the infestation.

I plan to remove all CC caught (3 so far this year). The LMB, being the green carp that they are, spawned! So my original plans are officially dead. And if you messed with water long enough, as everyone knows, mother nature ultimately dictates the plan.

One last lesson...Don't make the mistake I made by letting those little buggers get ahead of you. If you see pods of them swimming the surface, get on it, because they will tip your fishery upside down and right quick. Take it from a guy who learned the hard way.