Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Blue Catfish supplier for Indiana

I am just a home body with a wife and 5 German shepherds. I would certainly enjoy visiting with folks on this forum, but I must warn you that I could probably provoke a riot in a nunnery:)

Luv it

I am pretty sure I saw Riot in a Nunnery open for AC/DC at Anaheim in 1980!

Naw, Rod. It was at Budokan....the lights, man...the lights....

Guys be very careful about transporting fish across state lines. Check to be sure you won't be in trouble.

Under the Lacey Act, it is a violation of Federal law to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce any wildlife, including fish, that was taken, transported, possessed, or sold in violation of any State of foreign law, or taken or possessed in violation of other Federal law or Indian tribal law.

In addition, some states have Lacey Act equivalents.

Thanks for the clarification ewest!

I was referring to people picking up fish (from fish suppliers) that are legal to transport and stock in their state and ponds.

I was only trying to circumvent the problem of people not getting their desired fish due to lack of available transportation solely as a result of distance/cost constraints.

Thanks E sorry I hadn’t thought of that… my bad
Seems like it said illegally taken…..

Here in Indiana, you need an Importation Permit from the Indiana Board of Animal Health before you can bring fish into the state. That has to be applied for AT LEAST 2 weeks prior to moving the fish. The person requesting the permit has to fill out a form and furnish health inspection reports to the state prior to getting the required permit. You have to have that permit in the vehicle with you while transporting the fish.

I know of one hatchery in Michigan that worked out a deal with the state of Indiana. For that hatchery, an individual can bring back fish for their personal pond without applying for an Importation Permit, they "ride" on that hatcheries permit.

For instance, if you want to bring Blue Cats in to the state, you need a permit for them. If you are at the hatchery picking them up and see that they have another species of fish that you want, you cannot tell them to throw even one of them in with the Blue Cats. Doing so and you not having that fish species listed on your importation permit will result in a violation. For instance, if I have a permit to import Fathead Minnows and there is a bullhead in with the Fatheads or a 9 Spine Stickleback, and that is not on the importation permit, I can get in big trouble for it. That is why finding suppliers that have "clean" fish is so important to us fish haulers/producers.

Yes to the Lacy Act violation, and fines for that can start at $250K. Plus it's a Federal thing, so it's held in Federal Court.........

The regulations regarding moving fish into any state that touches one of the Great Lakes is much more restrictive than moving fish into a state that does not touch one of the Great Lakes.

Question: No luck finding blue catfish for my 3rd pond (about 0.4 acres). It currently has been stocked with FHM and lake chubsuckers. I was planning to add 10 RES next spring but plant life in the pond is minimal. My lotus is hanging on, but struggling. Will the RES likely survive? Any downside adding them in spring even though I don't know when I may find some blue catfish? Once I get some blue catfish in there, I plan to add black crappie as well. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Do you have any good places to catch blue catfish? (There have been a few threads on the forum about the difficulties in sourcing blues.)

If you could catch a few and add some good spawning habitat, maybe you could get one good age class started and then remove the spawning habitat?

That's the plan, but I seem to have enough other higher priority projects to complete right now. Was hoping to find a generous catfisher to donate some. I have not wet a line in years. I do waste a lot of time deer hunting though...

Time well wasted!

After 5 years of trying to find blue catfish, I just ordered channel catfish and black crappie for my 3rd pond. Even my patience has limits... Will pick up on April Fools Day!

Good news Rah
What ya going to feed the BCP?

Hopefully, the FHM and LCS that have been in the pond for 5 years.

Where ya getting the fish?

Jones, for pickup at west Indy location.

All is not lost, if you can get in contact with someone that does some river fishing you may be able to tag along and catch a few Blue Cats, they will enjoy the crap out of your BC and everything else you might have in the pond.
Had a friend that had an overpopulated little BG pond, we dropped a couple of 20# Blue Cats in there, he no longer has an overpopulation of BG problem. his grandkid did catch one of them we think on a lure but it stripped his gear out, broke his line and left. didnt get to see it.

I tried to hook up with somebody on an Indiana catfishing facebook group, but had no luck. Moving large blues might be a challenge.

CC and black crappie are in the 3rd pond! Very windy and getting colder. Lots of wind damage overnight!

Good luck with the BCP and BC Rah.

If all you have is lemons ... then make more structure in the pond for the crappie!

I have some dead spruce in the pond and some hollow logs for the CC to spawn in. Keep hoping that the lotus will finally take off...