Pond Opinions

I have a pond started behind my new house. it will only be about 1/4 of an acre but around 12 feet deep. Would you all recommend stocking any crappie in it? I'm going to put bass, hybrid bluegill and catfish in it.

Any pond owner needs to know about the forum on www.pondboss.com

You will definately want good populations of bass and bluegill before you even think about stocking some crappie. Give the bass and bluegill at least a few years to develop and then maybe transplant a few crappie.

Here is a lot of good info from the AGFC about pond stocking. You can also call 'em up and they will give you all the help you need. http://www.agfc.com/fishing/fish-man...anagement.aspx

I would seriously consider whether to put catfish in the pond or not. They live longer than those other species, and have the ability to take over a pond if you don't regularly harvest. I have a friend w/ a 30 acre pond, and has all the above species. The bluegill & catfish are strong, but the bass are stunted, and the crappie aren't strongly stocked. There is a lot of good info on the above post regarding pond management.

Before I moved to Arkansas, I tried to help my father manage a pond just about that size. I would try to keep the Hybrid bream and bass population healthy. We never did have any luck at all with crappie. Catfish did well but were cantankerous to bite. They spooked easily after you caught a couple. They learned the difference between a baited hook and floating feed.
DP

I have always heard and read that you can't manage crappie in a lake less than 3 acres in size. I would leave the crappie out and stock bream and catfish. Both of those eat well, and both are great for adults and kids alike to catch

go for it If you are just building the pond be sure to put structure in the pond the fry need a place to hide the bass need a place to ambush from. I have a small pond about 1 acre surface area I have cat,bluegill,bass,crappie,walley,and lots of flat head minnows, you gotta have bait fish,I catch big little and in the middle just harvist the bigger ones, I put crappie in soon after the pond was built bought them from Dunns fish farm they have a good site and good info on ponds I have a fish trap and set it once in a while to do a survey and if it gets full of a lot of little fish and all the same size i do a major cull, friends ponds, trout line, good luck

I appreciate everyone's responses. You all have given me some very good info. I'll let you all know how it ends up.

Everything I have ever read said don't put crappie in a pond that small, and stock black crappie rather than whites because they are not as bad to overpopulate. Having said that I'll be interested to hear how it works.