Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Walleye, Perch, black Crappie.

I would not put BCP in a pond with YP and WE as main predators and expect the BCP to be controlled. Anyone that says it will be no problem then have them promise - guarantee to come and help remove crappie when it comes time and the time will come. These are reasons why I would not do it.

1. Walleye given a selection prefer slender forage compared to compressed forage (disk shaped). This means WE will feed on your minnows/shiners and smaller YP and leave BCP as least choice. This I feel will be a big detriment when you do have a BCP spawn.

2. BCP as fry and small fish (<2") tend to be pelagic, open water feeders and growing on zooplankton. Then as 2" - 3" fish, they move more into shallows where WE will be frequenting. At this point the BCP may be over abundant and less of a food choice for WE.

3. WE as a pond fish tend to inhabit more bottom oriented habitats similar to YP which makes WE-YP good co-inhabitants as a predator-prey combination. BCP tend to be more of an above bottom inhabitant, often up off the bottom where WE are not real good hunters. WE will hunt in open water big lakes (suspend) but not so much in pond habitats. I very rarely see walleye feeding up off the bottom in my pond. almost always they lie on the bottom motionless waiting for the easy catch fish to swim within range. Then they make a quick pass at the prey item.

4. WE typically do not grow fast and not normally large (>23"-24") in smaller ponds. This size will limit what size of forage they will eat and if it is BCP it will be the smaller 3"-4" sizes which is body depth equivalent to a 6" perch. Thus I think you will be responsible for manually harvesting most all the BCP 4"-6" sizes.

5. I am relying on WE to control green sunfish in one of my ponds that also contains minnows/shiners/YP. WE even when stocked at 230/ac are not controlling the greenies. So far this year I have taken out 274 GSF, last year 1240. But I do have very few larger minnows and very few small perch. Guess what the walleye are mostly eating?