Have about a 1 acre pond around Texoma that is full of perch, some white crappie, bass, and channel cat. Would adding blue cats to the pond be ok? I wasn't sure if they would eat most of the other fish? I plan on adding some carp this year as the vegetation has really taken over the last few years.

Blue catfish are predators. If you have white crappie I would be they will be a good addition, they should help keep crappie numbers in check. Overton fisheries offers them. My research suggests you need to go in with 8-11” catfish in order for them to not become bass food.

Thank you for the info! I tried searching the web last night on this topic and found some general information. The white crappie being in there have always been a concern bc I have read they will take over a pond.

We never catch big bass in there as I think the vegetation takes over too much in the summer, and the water doesn't have enough oxygen. Hopefully I can do some work on this pond, and start adding fish to make it better.

Lots going on here...

More often than not with a small pond like that the solution is removing fish not adding fish. I think in a case like this it would be worth your money to get a consultation done with an expert. Well worth the money. Managing very small ponds is tricky. You've already got crappie in there so that's one strike against you I'm not sure blue cat would be a good addition to what sounds like an already complex situation.

This is important, are you certain they are white crappie and not black crappie?

I’m 99% sure they are white crappie as my son usually catches a few small ones each year when throwing his road runner for perch.

There are some 4-6lb channel cats in there already, but I agree with an above poster I think this pond needs serious attention. Used to be bigger channels we would catch and eat a few each year along with bigger bass.

I think we might need to do some serious work to the pond before I worry too much about adding/removing fish.


The pond looks good this time of the year but come late June/ July it’s covered about 60% on the surface in vegetation and probably more on the bottom as every time we catfish without a bobber, our bait is covered up with something.

The grass and weed growth in the summer is an issue that you can manage a couple different ways. One way is a pita but the fish like it, is ducks. Ducks eat the heck out of the weeds, grass and moss. One of the single best things you can do and that are natural, as I also mentioned, fish like the ducks too.

Another way is the grass eating carp, but you really have to be careful with these fish and if your run-off coming over the free board of your tank runs into any sort of creek or river drainage, they won't let you get those carp. Least that has been my experience with them.

Another way is with chemicals, and I just didn't like the whole idea of those. But there are new chemicals out there. 1 acre stock tank to start the spring out with a dozen ducks would be a good start. Throw feed out for them when you first turn them out they will figure the rest out from there.

The predators may get your ducks and if the case, try to replace them and keep a dozen full grown ducks to start the spring with, they ever get established they will take care of the rest.

Your best bet is to thin the crappie out as much as possible, and try to stock some heavy predator fish. Advanced hybrid striper might even be a good idea.

Thankfully the pond only runs into the wooded core land when flooded, and about 3/4 miles from Texoma, if not more. I might try the carp idea slowly and see how it goes or ducks. There are a few dogs that the neighbors own around there that enjoy jumping in the pond every so often, so I am curious if the ducks would stick around, but I do like that idea too.

I had big 30 pound blue cats in our small lake. They would come up to the feeder and hang out waiting for it to go off. My wife had one she named "Ethel", she literally would pour feed from a coffee can into that big bluecat's mouth. Sadly we had a great big gator move in and clean out the big bluecats at the feeder before we knew it.