I don't have pictures, but I fished my pond for the first time today. It was first stocked with supposedly 6-8 inch CC last September and October, but most were in the 4-6 inch range. Using a 12 foot ultralight crappie rod and a yellow 1/64 oz jig tipped with a yellow "Gulp Alive" waxie, I quickly caught two CC. The first one was about 16 inches and maybe 1.5-1.8 pounds. I quickly put it back in the pond. The second was 21 inches and 3 pounds 14 ounces. I kept it to eat. I guess that one was a "shooter". It was a female containing partially developed eggs. Maybe my feeding program has been about right. I was afraid of feeding too much and spoiling the water. I will try to take some more out if this one tastes good enough at tonight's meal. Sure was a tussle catching it on that UL crappie pole with 6 pound line. Both CC were over 100% RW.
I don't have pictures, but I fished my pond for the first time today. It was first stocked with supposedly 6-8 inch CC last September and October, but most were in the 4-6 inch range. Using a 12 foot ultralight crappie rod and a yellow 1/64 oz jig tipped with a yellow "Gulp Alive" waxie, I quickly caught two CC. The first one was about 16 inches and maybe 1.5-1.8 pounds. I quickly put it back in the pond. The second was 21 inches and 3 pounds 14 ounces. I kept it to eat. I guess that one was a "shooter". It was a female containing partially developed eggs. Maybe my feeding program has been about right. I was afraid of feeding too much and spoiling the water. I will try to take some more out if this one tastes good enough at tonight's meal. Sure was a tussle catching it on that UL crappie pole with 6 pound line. Both CC were over 100% RW.
Edit: It tasted really really good!
That's awesome John! I know you posted a while back that your CC were only (I think) 14 to 16 which seemed low for being fed and their age. My money says you have male CC over 4.
Bill, I have three albinos likely over five lbs, one of them may be six. I put them in last winter as brooders at two to 2.5 lbs. Don't know if they spawned or not....no fry have been seen or trapped yet. They are pellet hogs for sure! My wife named the biggest one "Vacuum".
Shorty mine don't match yours but the one I caught tonight out of my 1/20th acre forage pond lets me know I'm getting there. This guy was a tub. He is one of my brood stock raising the babies I have been trapping out of this pond and transferring to my main pond.
The smaller fish was about 7.5" but not nearly as robust. The last picture is the jig I caught them on.
I don't fish this pond much because I basically want to leave them alone so they will reproduce. But I do try to sample them a couple times a year just to see how they are doing. This is the largest RES to date out of this tiny pond.
Edit: I just looked at the eurogenital opening in the picture again and seen the short fins. Maybe this is a female???? Sure had a bright red opercular tab flap.
It seems I have some 11+ but pretty sure I don't have any at 12" or more. I stocked them 2 yrs ago, so they were hatched spring of 14. Doubt they'd be 12" by now. But who knows. It'll be fun to compare since our ponds are so similar.
My original 4" to 6" stockers went in December 2011, I caught one 8" female 7 months later in 2012. My original stocking was also on the light side too, just 110 RES. I suspect that biggest RES in my pond will be female as males spend significant time bedding during the warm water months.
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