I have read a lot of the crappie threads on Pond Boss. There are multiple examples of people with trophy (or very good) crappie ponds in BOWs MUCH smaller than 20 acres.

My (non-expert) opinion is to go for it!

Start culling the bass and keeping good records of all of your species results, and then you can manage the pond towards your goals. Plenty of experts on the forum to help you analyze the results and give future guidance.


P.S. I actually don't like the lack of any deep water. On a 20-acre lake through old timber stands, I suspect there is an old creek channel that wanders through your lake.

Can you easily draw down the lake a few feet and then have it naturally re-fill fairly quickly? If so, then that might be a good time to get an excavator to dig out all of the muck and silt in the old creek channel wherever it meanders close to the shoreline. Obviously, the closer you are working to the dam, the more likely you are to be able to create some deeper water. (I would just pile the spoils on the bank and install a silt fence down slope. You can get rid of the spoils at a later date after they become more workable.)

The crappie (and some of the other species) might really benefit from having some deep water available.


P.P.S. Congrats on your new lake. I am expecting much fun in your future!