Greers Ferry Nursery Pond

This year we raised threadfin shad in the nursery pond. We purchased 37,500 adult threadfin shad from a private hatchery in Alababa (not cheap). 16,000 were stocked at Choctaw, 16,000 were stocked at Heber Rec and 5,500 were put in the nursery pond to spawn before being released into the lake. You may remember my post from 2 years ago when we released a crop of largemouth bass and the hybrids anialated them. That night Matt and I caught over 50 hybrids in just a few hours. They were stuffed with fingerling bass. This year we opened the pipe early Monday morning and we estimated that the pond would be done draining sometime Tuesday night. So Matt Horton and I loaded up my boat and the electrofudhing boat to see what was in the nursery pond outflow cove this year. To determine this we single line sampled from noon until midnight with just about everything you can throw at a fish (man I love my job!). We caught crappie, largemouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, flathead catfish, white bass, and carp! We did not catch or see any hybrid striped bass. It looks like 2 years of not stocking them has made an impact on their abundance. We also seine the nursery pond several times to attempt to find any shad. We finally found some of this year's spawn when the pond got low and the shad were more congregated. The majority of the shad hung in the nursery pond until the last minute. Man were we relieved when the water in the cove came alive when an estimated 400,000 shad dove into the lake for the first time. We were shining lights in the water and there were so many baby shad that it would be imposible to count them. Hopefully these efforts will reestablish the threadfin shad population and help the game fish population to continue to improve.
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Sounds like really good news to me. Thanks Matt!

That should help if the Shad take hold in the lake and survive the winter .

Fantastic! Now go put some in Maumele. If it had shad it would be one of the top crappie lakes in the country. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by blackfish

Fantastic! Now go put some in Maumele. If it had shad it would be one of the top crappie lakes in the country. Thanks.

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At one time they did raise threadfin shad in the nursery pond. I am not sure if they still do. I can ask the biologist over there to see if they are still stocking shad through their nursery pond. This was kind of an experiment to see if they would get a good spawn off in the nursery pond. Our hatchery system also bought some threadfin shad from Alabama to see if they could raise crops and if they would over winter in their ponds. If they are successful, we can raise our own shad and not have to purchase them from down south. Preliminary sampling of their ponds indicates that the shad are spawning in their ponds as well. Hopefully they will over winter too.

How's about blueback herring? I know they aren't indigenous to Ar but they have really helped the lakes in the southeast.

Thanks man I really appreciate all the things you do for us.

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Threadfins are great cause they don't get too large like Gizzard Shad . Crappie can only consume young Gizzard Shad before they grow too large . How they coing to carry them over in ponds in winter ? Well water to warm them up ?

Good stuff Matt. Unfortunately the good being done by the AGFC is being overshadowed by folks upset and worried about CWD. Keep it up brother! You're one of the good ones! I hope you and your family are doing well and enjoying your new baby.

Chris

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Originally Posted by Old Sarge

How's about blueback herring? I know they aren't indigenous to Ar but they have really helped the lakes in the southeast.

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Sarge - You are correct. Blueback herring are not native to Arkansas. While they may be of benefit to some of the lakes in the southeast, they also have some drawbacks. the literature on blueback herring demonstrate that they eat the eggs of other game fish, which can cause a decline in their population. Specifically they seem to target walleye eggs. I'm not exact;y sure why this is. Also, as a general rule of thumb, it isn't good to bring in a species that isn't native because to could cause unforeseen negative consequences. I know that in the past, AGFC has introduced some non native species. Since the early days of fish management in the state, the mind set has changed. Hopefully getting a strong threadfin shad population in our lakes that our laking them, will help fill this void and will result in a healthy fishery.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Threadfins are great cause they don't get too large like Gizzard Shad . Crappie can only consume young Gizzard Shad before they grow too large . How they coing to carry them over in ponds in winter ? Well water to warm them up ?

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I think that is the plan. If they can keep the temperature warm enough in the winter with well water, hopefully they will over winter. We shall see...

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Originally Posted by slackline

Good stuff Matt. Unfortunately the good being done by the AGFC is being overshadowed by folks upset and worried about CWD. Keep it up brother! You're one of the good ones! I hope you and your family are doing well and enjoying your new baby.

Chris

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Thanks Chris. Having a new baby is great! Life is good! The one drawback is that the first time that I wet a lure was last Tuesday when we were looking for hybrids. Right now being a family man is what I am all about and I'm loving it. Besides these hot days are killer! I cant wait for Fall already!
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Totally cute is a fact!

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Originally Posted by Mac Daddy

Totally cute is a fact!

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X2 that's what it's all about right there!

Chris

Thats Great Matt, I think you are doing just what Greers needs for the crappie there keep it up and we will see the Greers of Old return very shortly.

Great job and post matt


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yeah!

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Originally Posted by blackfish

Fantastic! Now go put some in Maumele. If it had shad it would be one of the top crappie lakes in the country. Thanks.

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The biologist over Lake Maumee said that they are raising black crappie in their nursery pond right now but will be raising shad in future years.

Good work

Thanks Matt and Matt great job.Most folks in your position would be setting in the Ac drawing their pay.Great job.Great report and take care of the little ones they Grow up fast!! PreK,College,Son in Law.LOL

Glad to have guys like you and your team
Thank You for all ya'lls work

Matt, thank you so much for the hard work and effort it required to get this done. This is the best news I have heard on Greers Ferry Lake in at least 20 years . Your hard work is being noticed by many. Will this be an annual thing for a couple years or do you think this stocking will get the shad population the start it needs to establish itself back in the lake ?

Thanks! We plan on stocking threadfin shad until the population builds back up. It could take a few years.

It's fantastic to hear...
1) that the hybrid population might be down
2) that you guys are trying to get Greers' shad population going

I really hope this brings the crappie and walleye population a much needed boost.

Thank you and your guys for putting in the work, so that we all might benefit.