Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Managing black crappie

Can I vote for beer-battered fish? That is a very tasty compromise!

I would be willing to chip in on the saugeye experiment. I think it's great that a couple of high school students can take interest in a project like this. Maybe we could get some other forum members to join in.

As an aside jpsdad I have read many of your replies and I am sure that you give plenty of thought to them. But my personal opinion is many of them seem to be condescending. Almost as if you are trying to prove that you're more intelligent than the rest of us. That's not always a bad thing but having to deal personally with large groups of people that are your peers I have found that it generally rubs people the wrong way

Snipe come on with it! I would like to have a fishable population of BCP so I could actually eat some. As far as weeds I am overrun with underwater spike rush across whole pond. Good hiding place for the lil fellers and shrimp
Ps I have Never thought that jpsdad was condescending to anyone. I like and respect his information, just my two cents

He's back!!! Glad to see you made it back from your trip.

5-8 per acre is as high as we've stocked in 35-150 acre impoundments but I would say 10/ac is safe but they will really thin the BCP as they grow at about 1.2-1.5 times faster than WAE.
I would donate 50 6-8", maybe 75.
Fry need shipped on day 2 overnight and stocked out immediately when received. They also should be stocked from a boat throughout the middle of the lake.
I will have Sauger collected on the 8th, WAE eggs will be fertilized on the 17th, probably have hatch starting around the 22nd or 23rd..

MnAngler,

It seems like there could be some great benefits to trying Saugeye in your pond, and people willing to help with no strings attached. Of course, we all hope you update us on the project.

Can you check with all the decision makers on your end to see if there's any interest and support?

I think the OP also likes Walleye as a desired species, so what will he/they get with Saugeye, relatively?

Saugeye is a cross between Walleye and Sauger? And does not get as big as Walleye?

Looks like some of the state record Saugeye are 8 and 9 lbs, and over 25" long.

Maybe like a great Dane and a chihuahua cross won't get as big as the Great Dane?

Walleye state records approx. range from 12-18 lbs.

If Snipe is going to send them some fry I'll donate a little $$ for shipping for these kids.


Of course if Snipe is shipping fry and I'm writing a check I might as well have him ship me some too... Snipe, let me know if that is possible.

Now that we've used them within the state for 28 years I posed the question this am to my Reg 1 Bio about which he would prefer..His personal opinion is he would rather have SAE than WAE because of growth rates and total recruitment.
The further you get from absolutely perfect water conditions, the better the SAE do in comparison.
We have trouble in KS with rule enforcement because even Game Wardens have a hard time telling them apart.
As for size, most large WAE come from large impoundments, SAE, not the case, they seem to continue to grow as long as they have the right forage regardless of pond/lake size.

I'd rather deliver them 2nd day post hatch vs shipping, I have complete control of temp and handling that way and yes, I can make that happen.

Pat, I appreciate your comment. I know its uncomfortable to stick your neck out like that. I don't expect anyone to do that. All the same, I value your friendship and those who replied to me by PM.

CB100, oddly enough, I appreciate your comment also. Notwithstanding how you feel, because I know your feelings and opinion are real, I have not tried to prove that I am more intelligent than you are anyone else. The reason I post these things, is because I think you and most everyone else is intelligent enough to grasp it, use it, create additional conversation around, etc. What I think and feel is completely the opposite of your feelings and opinion. I don't like that you feel this way and have this opinion. What I most dislike most about it, is how you feel. This is definitely not my intent nor the desired result.

I have read through my posts in this thread and I think my commentary should stand given the limited information we have. IOWs, I see no cause to alter my thoughts that thinning the crappie by harvest is most advantageous and that adding additional predator might need further consideration of pending information we don't yet have. All that said, it is clear that, as community we have decided that a predator introduction is much needed. So much so, that it is going to be gratis to the BOW owner. Notwithstanding my dissent, I am "getting with the program". So IOWs, I am supporting what we as forum after reviewing all information currently available, have found a consensus with only one dissenting (however dysfunctional arriving at that consensus may have been). The consensus being that the clear remedy is that the BOW needs a predator infusion of SAE by inoculating fry. These fry will do their best and the strongest among them will carve a place for themselves and will later contribute to the consumption of prey fish as they grow. I am hoping, just like Sunil, that good data can be collected to plot the growth and condition of prey and predators alike so that we can judge, if not the efficacy of a fry introduction and SAE growth rates in MN ponds, at least whether as community, by working together, we were able to find a solution that was effective for this particular member's particular BOW.

In the spirit of deferring to consensus, I want this project to have its maximum opportunity for success. One thing I worry about being problematic is the timing of the inoculation. Will the MN BOW be ready for the fry when they are stocked is my main concern. For example, is there any chance that there will be ice cover for example? Is a minimum temperature required? Could the difference in latitude between the source and destination create logistical constraints that should be considered and planned for? I know nothing about this aspect as it pertains to SAE and will not be able to make recommendations but I am very keen to read what Snipe has to say regarding it. In any event, I am not trying to make any feel unintelligent by bringing this up. I just don't want to be the one who didn't speak up when there was an opportunity to plan for a more successful opportunity.

Can't shut up, can you?

Too funny Theo! Especially considering your broken record comment. I guess I have the same fault you do.

This in-house bickering is why some very intelligent forum folks have left from posting!

Collected Sauger last night. Plan is fertilize WAE eggs 19-20 March. I also have the option of obtaining eggs on the 26-27th and again April 5-15 from a Colorado source at 5500'elevation, which would put the fry at last week of April, which I agree with jpsdad, would be the best option going up north. New hatch are delicate, require a bloom for obvious reasons.
I can do 30 day old, 3/4-1" fish as well and might be the best option for MN stocking. I won't be selling these in general so If 1" is best, I'm willing to tackle that for this project but I need to hear from the MN owner because paperwork is required.
All that I would ask is the owner keep us informed going fwd on any and all changes.
If Fry are requested, I need addresses per PM

I'm still in to support things with some money if the OP is down with it.

From my Reg 1 bio based on best practices for BCP/WCP management:

Re: Stocking SAE

Initially we stocked fingerlings but availability became an issue due to requested numbers.
As you are aware, I have mainly been stocking fry most years now. Usually stocked fry at 1000/ac, annually, but more recently 500/ac.
Recruitment variability determines year class strength almost regardless of stocking rate.
Most important to maintain good numbers of smaller SAE to keep the heat on small crappie.
I would go up to 3000/ac for introductory and annual followup with 500-1000/ac maintenance thereafter.
May be able to get by with biannual stockings also, depending on recruitment.

I agree with Pat W. Bickering among or between members is not conducive for good forum participation. I think we should accept all types of honest input as long as it is not offensive nor derogatory and follows the Forum Posting Guidelines. .

Looks like the LMB are getting ready to start their spawning…. Haven’t seen or caught any BCP in the shallows as of yet , looks like perfect conditions

Sorry for not replying for a while, school has quite the hold on my time at the moment. But Sunil, it’s not that I don’t want the LMB in the pond, I think they’re an awesome addition, they just aren’t my top priority. I do recognize that they are a big help in trying to get the lake back into shape, but I’d like other predatory species if possible, mainly walleye or saugeye after catching up with the posts.

Thank you to everyone that is willing to help/ helped out already. I'll need to contact the MN DNR most likely, as well as the city, just to be safe about stocking. Other than that, Snipe, what other paperwork would be needed to fill out? Feel free to PM me if its sensitive.

I am also a little gun-shy of stocking anything right now, due to current weather patterns. This year MN has had an extremely warm and dry winter, we've only had 1 inch of precipitation since Jan 1st. The lakes have thawed out around the Twin Cities and south of them, which is abnormal for this time of year. What concerns me though is what's to come. The current weather forecast is saying that we will be back to our average temps for this time of the year, being maybe up to 36-38 degrees F during the day, and below 20 and sometimes below 15 at night. It's predicted that it will stay like this roughly 3 weeks, which could very well put ice back on the lakes. This as well as some snow heading my way could put a damper in the project.
Snipe, should these be concerns or would it not matter?