I'd be pretty ticked about that, especially since they told you they'd be alright.

Lee I got pretty heavy into pond management strategies when we built our pond here in 99. Crappie can be managed in a pond just like any other fish. The key to it is to keep every one you catch. It would be very, very hard to over harvest them in a pond after a couple years of spawning. I was pretty heavy into bass fishing back then. Growing big bass and growing big crappie are very similar, with the exception that crappie are much more prolific and will over run a pond quickly.

I have no interest in catfish either but a larger predator than crappie will help keep the population in check.

Are those fathead minnows, toughies or shiners?

Fathead minnows are perfect for a pond.

If you're interested in managing the pond for trophy fish a call to, and visit from, Southeastern Pond Management would be well worth the cost.