Common Carp Have Invaded My Pond! - 05/01/20 09:35 PM
I have a small pond which is less than an acre. Depths range from 6-15 feet, with an average around 8-10. I've posted about it on here before. I stocked it with fathead minnows a couple years ago, and with a half dozen adult pumpkinseeds last summer. My goal for the pond is a trophy PS fishery, or at least a fishery where I can catch some decent PS along with a few bass. I realize this pond is on the small side, but this is all I have to work with for the time being. My original plan was to finish stocking it this summer with more PS and either LMB or SMB.
However....nature has thrown a monkey wrench in my plan. We have been incredibly wet the past couple springs. A creek a few miles from the pond flooded its banks, and unfortunately, we are incredibly flat here in SD. I have been seeing carp in ditches 4+ miles away from the creek. I built a minnow trap and threw it out last week. When I checked it, I had dozens of huge crayfish and one 4" common carp. I assume there are way more in there, and potentially some adults. The creek also has bullhead, and although I haven't found any in my pond, they quite possibly got in too.
I am looking for advice on how to move forward. I found a source for PS which ships 1.5-2" fish. I also found a hatchery a couple hours away which I plan to get LMB from, and I can also go catch some adult LMB if needed. Will the LMB+angling pressure be enough to keep the carp (and bullhead?) numbers down? The aforementioned hatchery also advertises tiger musky and pure musky. Would adding a couple of these keep the larger carp in check, or will they do more harm that good by eating PS and LMB?
I realize there are a lot of variables at play here, and no one can predict what will happen with certainty. However, I have always gotten great advice here in the past and would love to hear input from those with more experience than myself.
Thanks, Derek
However....nature has thrown a monkey wrench in my plan. We have been incredibly wet the past couple springs. A creek a few miles from the pond flooded its banks, and unfortunately, we are incredibly flat here in SD. I have been seeing carp in ditches 4+ miles away from the creek. I built a minnow trap and threw it out last week. When I checked it, I had dozens of huge crayfish and one 4" common carp. I assume there are way more in there, and potentially some adults. The creek also has bullhead, and although I haven't found any in my pond, they quite possibly got in too.
I am looking for advice on how to move forward. I found a source for PS which ships 1.5-2" fish. I also found a hatchery a couple hours away which I plan to get LMB from, and I can also go catch some adult LMB if needed. Will the LMB+angling pressure be enough to keep the carp (and bullhead?) numbers down? The aforementioned hatchery also advertises tiger musky and pure musky. Would adding a couple of these keep the larger carp in check, or will they do more harm that good by eating PS and LMB?
I realize there are a lot of variables at play here, and no one can predict what will happen with certainty. However, I have always gotten great advice here in the past and would love to hear input from those with more experience than myself.
Thanks, Derek