private pond

[dan_wrider]

Hey all. I was wondering if anyone had advise on managing an existing pond. The pond is about 3/4 - 1 acre large. We have bought countless crappie fingerlings not to mention I have put numerous full size mid spawn crappie in it every year for about 4 years now yet I have only caught one crappie while fishing it and it was white. The crappie I put in it were black. I know there are a few large bass in the pond and I think they may be responsible for the fact that nothing else flourishes in the pond. Is there a way to shock or stun the fish so i can remove unwanted fish and eventually have a crappie pond?

[chuckman1983]

You can always contact the TWPD and get them to help out with your stocking wishes and problems. They do have an outreach program to assist property owners, but I do not know the contact info. I will try to find it, and post if I find it.

[dan_wrider]

Thanks chuckman, i appreciate the help.

[chuckman1983]

It's not the link I wanted, but some really good reading and information here.
http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/rec_fishing/pdf/texasfishponds.pdf

[willie]

your big bass are eating them up. i would get them out. may look out for otters too. i stocked a pond at the deer lease on time. and the otters fished it out.:bang: you would need to research pond management on tpwd.

[katjim00]

Dan

You take me out to that pond of yours and I will help catch those largemouth. We eat them and too be honest my wife and kid both like them over crappie. Can't see a better way to thin the population. Sure would be a waste just to shock them up to get them out and then let them go to waste.

You might want to introduce sun fish in there. Bass love those as well and they multiply like crazy. A good population of those makes for good forage.

I know of someone else if you would like to contact them. He has several ponds that he manages on his property and is very helpful. Let me know.

Jim

[GILBERT G]

to maintain crappie in a small pond it needs to be deep an have structure for protection

[WhataMitch]

I'd bet a dollar to a donut the neighboring kids are hiding few from ya. Don't underestimate them. They're quite crafty. Even if the tank is a stones throw from the house they will get in there. I know these things because I used to be one. Some may argue that I still am. But I don't trespass anymore.

[Bazooka Joe]

Adding sun fish would be a really good idea as allready mentioned...and those bass love to eat fingerlings of any species...lol

[dan_wrider]

Mitch, I was one of those neighborhood kids who had the fishing pole on my BMX and would hit up any pond I could. Even tresspassed a few times lol. I suppose it is possible there have been a few taken that way but the pond is at the rear of 10 acres and we have never seen anyone back there.

[dan_wrider]

Oh and btw, there are tons of sunfish in this thing. Most really small though. Nothing as big as your hand but you drop a worm in anywhere and your cork will atleast go sideways if he's not big enough to take it under.

[WhataMitch]

At the back of 10 acres. Don't even stock it. Lol. I laugh but the allure of that bent pole is just as powerful to a kid as it is to us who have to spend all this time and money to catch something with a pea-brain and let it go.
One of my neighbors got smart! He built a nice 3 acre tank. Then he announced to me and a few others that this would be one of those "managed ponds". I thought "oh yeah,so close to home, he don't know what he's doing". Then he stated that anyone who helps him will have the privilege to fish. WOW! Nomore sneaking around at 2 inthe morning. To feel the sun on my face while fishing again...what an irresistible notion. Yeah he would manage it and say and how much to fish. But I was gonna give this a shot. My cousin and I put most every fish in that hole through the charitable donations of the other neighboring holes of water. His plan was a good one. Now I'm policeing my "investment " trying to keep the riff raff from getting MY fish. Man, that was 30 years ago. My old neibor has past long ago. And I'm sure there's a new herd of youngens sneaking through the woods to get to that same honey hole. Lol Now this was in a farming community but it could work anywhere I think.

[WhataMitch]

Where do ya live? Lol

[Scotta]

The pond in the back of old oaks has cats, bass and a healthy population of crappie. I have fished it since 1983. They can mutually survive. This pond has a healthy population of threadfjn shad, minnows and crayfish. I would look.more at forage than removing predators. Gar and other apex predators survive with crappie everyday. They will take hold. Be patient going grasshopper.