Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations White crappie, small ponds

I live in south jeresy and fish a 2-3 arcre pond. This pond has is 6' at it's deepest and has natural populations of LGMB,YP,BG,BH, and WC. This small pond is not managed and has produced 7-8 lb LGMB and a state record white crappie.
I was wondering how this is possible when I always hear that white crappie over populate small ponds?
Thoughts?

mb, as you know, there are no absolutes when it comes to ponds and such.

Some unmanaged ponds do, I believe, achieve a natural balance over time.

If that pond produces the next state record white crappie, then the next, it will be a pond of national renown. The 7-8 pound largemouth bass is probably the main reason that particular crappie made it so long and so large. When there are enough predators to eat young fish, especially baby crappie, individual sizes rise. Bigger fish feeding in the food chain provide the impetus to grow even larger fish. I would bet a steak dinner that the standing crop in that pond is low, and it is dominated by a handful of larger fish. Odds are the pond doesn't have a population of nice-sized crappie, but a few large individuals.

Bob,
That sounds like what is going on in Zephyr Pond. While observing some minnows I saw this fairly large fish, with stripes running around his body, come after a small BG. I assumed it was a crappie. He is only the second one I have seen. I caught the other one. I think maybe I have just a few large ones. I have so many bass I think and hope they are keeping the crappie in check.

When I bought my place ten years ago the 1/2 acre pond was full of 4 to 5 inch white crappie. It was nothing to catch 40 to 50 in a row with small jigs. At the time I was uneducated in such matters and threw them all back. Shortly there after we went through several years of drought and the 1/2 acre pond turned into a small mud hole that the cows stayed in all summer. I was fully prepared to have to restock my LMB and BG the next spring when the thing finally filled back up, assuming everything had died. What I found was no crappie and fat healthy bass everywhere. It seemed the LMB feasted on all the stunted crappie during the draw down. Two springs ago I caught a monster white crappie that probably weighed over 2 1/2 pounds. I now catch and eat every crappie caught. Knowledge is a wonderful thing, Thanks for all the free education.