Hi everyone. My name is Tyke. I live on 160 acres near Stockton Mo. Ranch for a living. Getting ready to build a new pond so I thought I'd join. I've got alot to learn so I probably wont post much. My first project was a 3 Ac pond built in 2005. In May we're hoping to start construction on a 6-8 acre pond. Wanting to try something different with this next one so I'll be starting a new thread in the proper section. I look forward to hearing from everyone.
I've got a few pics here somewhere. I'll post them as soon as I can figure out how. The first pond has all the standard stuff. FHM,GSH,BG,HBG,LMB,CC,BC and somehow some GSF. All geared towards big BG and Crappie to eat. What I'd like to do different with the new pond besides try YP is to make it a much more natural habitat. The first pond was just a big flat bottomed bowl. He left a few boulders in there and the kids helped me make some brush piles but thats about it. The new area has an old creek bed,some small draws where field stone was piled. Thought we might leave remnants of the old stock pond dam as an underwater ridge. The upper part of the pond has Oak,Hickory,Willow and Hedge trees which will be flooded. Would also like to leave some shallow mud flat areas where we can get some type of cover established. I didnt allow for that with the first pond. The sides were angled to avoid weed problems and as a result I'm having trouble getting good cover established along the edges. I dont know where they are hiding but the FHM's have been able to hang on
There might be a few FHM hanging on, but it's unlikely there are many..It could even be a simple missed identification of species if they are pretty small.
If you added HBG, they are a cross between BG and GSF and could just be a regressed offspring. It is more likely they came in the original fish stocking.
There is no benefit to adding HBG to a pond with BG and can be some real downside to it, regardless, it is done now and you will manage for that.
Your Crappie can pose some management nightmares also in a small body of water, so you'll want to learn how to look for issues there as well. A boom spawn of Crappie could even explain FHA surviving if the BC are munching down all your LMB hatch. If you start catching lots of 6'10" BC and few 10"+ LMB, you may be well on your way to a BC overpopulation already.
I went with what the supplier recommended on that initial stocking and got the HBG. I think you are right about the GSF coming in with the HBG. I didnt know about this site at that time. Once I figured out what should be done I went ahead and added the BG so I would have adequate forage for the LMB. The HBG and their offspring havent really been much of a problem. The fish are getting to the size I like them for filleting so anything not straight BG goes in the frying pan. BG and CNBG go back in the water. We're a family of 4 and we just cant get enough of the fresh fish. Once a week we pig out on sunfish and an occasional cat. I didnt think I had a spawn yet from the BC or LMB. In Oct '09 we put in 3 inch LMB and the BC were only about 1.5 in. Would they have spawned last year? I was thinking this would be the first year for both to spawn. I have to tell you, I'm a member of the forum over at Crappie.com and I dont know if there can ever be an overabundance of 8-10" BC.I know what you're getting at but in my mind I'm seeing Crappie Paradise out my back door.
I stocked light. I only put in 50 LMB and 50 BC. With the spawn almost here it shouldnt be too hard to catch a majority of the crappie. I suppose I could add more Bass if I can find them big enough. We dont eat the bass. To me they are a management tool.I'm after big BG so my plan was to keep lots of hungry med to lg LMB. I was hoping they would have the same effect on the BC. Am I headed the right way with this idea?
Tyke, I'm not saying BC can't be managed in a small pond. What happens is that abundance of 8-10" BC becomes millions of 2-3" BC that stunt and never grow because there is simply no food and then the entire pond becomes a mass of very small fish...all skinny and barely surviving.
If BC are the goal...add LOTS of Golden Shiners, BG, RES and LMB to hopefully control/feed the BC and their yoy recruitment. BC spawn first in the spring, but conditions need to be perfect for a successful recruitment and when those conditions are met, the BC yoy decimate all other fish hatches and no young of year will survive to control or feed BC in later years.
Edit...the hatchery only suggested HBG to sell fish...they were of no use in your pond and are actually quite a hindrance to your goals...CNBG (coppernose bluegill) will not survive in the Missouri winter climate...even a mild one.
Second edit...If large BG are your goal..Buy a good quality fish feeder and feed a bunch of Purina Aquamax feed or most BG will top out at 5-7" until and unless a big BC hatch occurs, then as said earlier...everything gets much smaller and skinier quickly.
okay, found a pic a our first pond. After reading thru the archives I guess the proper name for this would be my 3 acre experimental Black crappie pond.
and here are a couple pics of the site for the proposed YP/SMB pond. About 6 ac in size. We're clearing out a deep draw for this pond. The first pic is looking south. The west end of the dam will be near the tree line coming in from the right side of the pic. The second pic is looking north at where the upper 2/3 of the pond should be
Hello Rainman, did I see that you said CNBG will not survive the winter in Missouri? Crud, I just put in 100 of them with FHM a week ago. Our pond is in SW Missouri, should I be concerned?
Lifeisgood, even if they are the hybridized versions from Central Arkansas, they are not going to survive a single one of our winters winters. I suggest you get some Northern Bluegill (often caleed straight or pure) and add them in with the ones already stocked.
How big is your pond? 100 BG would only be a good stocing rate foer a small, .1 acre pond.
I have to disagree with you Rex. I put Coppernose in last year. This was the worst winter in my lifetime with 14 below one morning. I caught several CNBG off the spawning beds last week. If they survived this last winter then they should do just fine. Of course everybodys ponds are different. The pond mine are in is 15 ft deep and it rarely ices over so maybe that makes a difference. Also, there has been a guy on Craiglist just south of Mt Vernon that has been advertising small Coppernose out of his pond. Lifeisgood,where are you located?
I am located just a few miles from Mt Vernon. Rainman, my pond is currently about 1 acre and 16 feet deep in the deepest spot, but it will ultimely be 4.5 acres and 28 feet in the deepest spot. Tyke, have you purchased any of these from the guy from Mt. Vernon? Are they good?
Just be sure that they weigh the fish BEFORE they are put in the bags. I paid for 10# of FHM, and only had 8# when I weighed them at home......... I don't remember what company it was, but they have a white sleeper semi with a straight bed behind it full of tanks. They hit the different farm stores in N. Indiana on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.
I am located just a few miles from Mt Vernon. Rainman, my pond is currently about 1 acre and 16 feet deep in the deepest spot, but it will ultimely be 4.5 acres and 28 feet in the deepest spot. Tyke, have you purchased any of these from the guy from Mt. Vernon? Are they good?
Tyke may have a unique situation in his pond (possibly spring fed), but it would be a real long shot if any CNBG survive our winters. I have my doubts if the fish are actually CNBG though as they die out every few years in even warmer climates in Arkansas...regardless, growth will be far less than it would or could be for CNBG ( similar or less growth potential of northern BG) in Missouri ponds, so I personally see no benefit, only potential loss by stocking them.
I would suggest stocking 500 regular Bluegill and 250 Redear Sunfish per acre and 50 LMB per acre for your best southern Missouri pond balance. Adding 10-15 pounds of Fathead minnows per acre and 10 pounds of Golden Shiners per acre would help your fish grow both short and long term also. If you want Channel cats also, I would not stock over 25-50 per acre if you plan to catch them after a couple years. If you don't like cat fishing, 10 catfish total would help maintain water quality by scavenging.
