Originally Posted By: canyoncreek
The nice thing about apex predators is that in a smaller pond you can control the numbers. It is to your advantage that your apex predator NOT reproduce. LMB tend to like reproducing in ponds and thus hundreds of stunted LMB and a management struggle. Walleye can be stocked in a put and take scenario where you can keep your total number in check. If you go into it knowing you will have to add a few stocker fish from time to time then you don't worry about natural reproduction. This also controls growth, the amount of forage available and gives you trophy fish.

This could apply to other apex predators that you would stock on an as needed basis (pike, pickerel, musky, etc)

If you did use SMB as your apex predator it would be to your advantage again if there was limited natural reproduction. This is why many gravitate to HSB as they don't reproduce in most ponds (although there is a link recently on this site that showed reproduction in action). Check if HSB are legal in your state and they can give thrills to anglers better than any walleye ever caught. (think cranking in a underwater tornado (HSB) vs dragging in a slow moving logpile (larger walleye))

a crappie, YP, HSB only pond would be an awesome experiment in a 3-5 acre pond. I would think there would be plenty of forage (even without FHM or GSH) but if you wanted the option for a little extra forage and some built in algae control, think about throwing in some tilapia as well (if legal in your state).




Canyon-
Our pond is 2.5 acres, ave 8 feet deep, heavy silt bottom, 40 years old (highly eutrophied) and is BCP pond primarily. Forage is BG based. I have no minnow production that I've found or seen. I have crawdads as well (re: bull frog volcano thread from last year). I have caught a single LMB in past year (11 inches, didn't get a weight). I have been planning to shift the fishery to something other than BCP, and the idea of YP and HSB sounds intriguing. I have air in the pond now, to help offset a higher biomass as well. And despite many threads discussing BCP needing larger BOW to do well, ours seem to thrive in this 2.5 acre BOW. We can easily catch 11-13 inch fish, with largest 14.25 inches to date. I may be crazy to contemplate fiddling with the fishery, but more species is appealing. Any thoughts?

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