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 Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: kingfish_1970]
#4047753
10/14/09 07:21 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 23
RoyB
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RoyB I was about to comment the other day that if you build the pond they will come.I was thinking that you were in west TX,not east.But I'm sure that in east TX if you build the pond,they will find it.I've never seen a pond in La that didn't have crawfish in it. I think you are right. Some of these ponds are over 50 years old. Three of them are five years or so old. In the area around where these ponds are, if water stands in the bar ditch on the side of the road you will start to see crawfish houses appear. They are out there and you're right they will find the tanks. I am sure they already have. I just wanted to supplement the natural population in order to provide extra nutritional balance for the largemouth bass in the ponds. I hope I'm not screwing up, but I think there is a pretty good chance it will come out OK.
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: RoyB]
#4067654
10/21/09 02:18 AM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,661
Bass Johnson
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
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Posts: 2,661 |
I have 4 or 5 in my yard right now if you want to come get them with a hook and some bacon...I already caught one he's in my fish tank!
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: Bass Johnson]
#4092421
10/28/09 02:31 PM
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 422
Ching-A-Ling
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I heard that a coppernose bluegill was more nutritious (or minnows like you have already discussed) than the crawdad's? i always considered the crawfish as a novelty more or less when you talk to people that sell the feeder fish options.
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: Ching-A-Ling]
#4092791
10/28/09 03:49 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 23
RoyB
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I've been doing some more reading up on the subject over on Pond Boss and in some old Pond Boss magazines.
I think I am having second thoughts. The articles seemed to lean toward the possibility of dam damage and also the possibility of the crayfish muddying the water. I think they would have to be in high numbers for this to happen, but I was thinking about stocking a pretty high number.
The ponds already have Copper Nose Blue gill, Red Ear, Tilapia, Minnows and Golden Shiners. Plus any naturally occurring Crayfish. I think now that this is all I am going to put in there. I will re-stock Tilapia every spring and add other forage fish as needed but for now I am going to hold off on the Crayfish
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: RoyB]
#4112902
11/03/09 03:37 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,587
Catfish356
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
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Posts: 1,587 |
Have you considered fresh water shrimp as forage in your ponds?
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: Catfish356]
#4114100
11/03/09 09:00 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 23
RoyB
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Have you considered fresh water shrimp as forage in your ponds? I actually have. That would be an interesting experiment. Supposedly they eat the pond bottom nastiness and are predated upon by fish. I doubt they are big enough for the bass but the Bluegill might and if you are feeding your bluegill, you are feeding your bass. I have only found one place that actually sells freshwater shrimp. They are in Nebraska. Do you know of a supplier in Texas? Does anyone?
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: George Glazener]
#4115064
11/04/09 01:18 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 23
RoyB
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Thanks George, Overton is who did my most recent stocking in October. They are working on something for next Spring for me right now. I'll ask them. I'll be talking with them anyway in the next few days. These ponds are only ten miles or so from Buffalo, where Overton is.
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: RoyB]
#4115102
11/04/09 01:30 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,266
George Glazener
Extreme Angler
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Hi Roy, what a coincidence - our ranch property is 14 miles gate to gate from Overton - about half way between Fairfield and Buffalo. Our ponds however, are located in Delta County N.E. Texas. 
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: RoyB]
#4115407
11/04/09 02:50 AM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,352
Meadowlark
TFF Team Angler
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I will re-stock Tilapia every spring and add other forage fish as needed but for now I am going to hold off on the Crayfish Good decision, IMO. Fresh water shrimp happen naturally in our ponds in East Texas.... IF you have sufficient weed cover. You can stock them all day in a weedless pond and just like fathead minnows, they become expensive snacks for the predators. There probably are people who would love to sell you lots of freshwater shrimp....but without pond weeds you will be making them rich and you poor. Worse, you can have them for free. Nature is wonderful. A lot of people these days want weed free ponds and use chemicals to keep them that way. IMO, if predator fishing is your objective, its a big mistake to be weed free. Not only can you have the grass shrimp for free, but you can also have the naturally ocurring Gambusia which provide substantial forage for a key part of the food chain....the small fish that feed the big fish.
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: Meadowlark]
#4116118
11/04/09 12:49 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 23
RoyB
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I will re-stock Tilapia every spring and add other forage fish as needed but for now I am going to hold off on the Crayfish Good decision, IMO. Fresh water shrimp happen naturally in our ponds in East Texas.... IF you have sufficient weed cover. You can stock them all day in a weedless pond and just like fathead minnows, they become expensive snacks for the predators. There probably are people who would love to sell you lots of freshwater shrimp....but without pond weeds you will be making them rich and you poor. Worse, you can have them for free. Nature is wonderful. A lot of people these days want weed free ponds and use chemicals to keep them that way. IMO, if predator fishing is your objective, its a big mistake to be weed free. Not only can you have the grass shrimp for free, but you can also have the naturally ocurring Gambusia which provide substantial forage for a key part of the food chain....the small fish that feed the big fish. I agree as well. I will spray some cattails next spring on a couple of ponds but I will try to leave the most of the rest alone. The main reason to spray the cattails for me is because they get so thick it makes accessing the pond difficult. I don't mind the cover they make, as long as it doesn't get too thick. I will chop or spray any willows too, they are water hogs. George, I sent you a PM
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Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: RoyB]
#4118498
11/04/09 11:39 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,352
Meadowlark
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,352 |
RoyB,
Have you considered winter rainbow trout stocking? If you have bass 5 pounds and up that you want to "finish" out that is one way to do it. Winter rainbows also provide some entertaining fishing as well as add significant weight to LMB. The downside, and the reason I don't recommend them generally is because they are very good predators on your bluegill....very efficient. Without stocking Tilapia to take pressure off bluegills in the growing season, I wouldn't consider rainbows, but they are an option, IMO, in concert with warm weather Tilapia stocking.
You can catch some amazing LMB in late winter early spring after a fall rainbow stocking.
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 Re: Stocking Crayfish
[Re: Meadowlark]
#4121438
11/05/09 08:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 23
RoyB
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RoyB,
Have you considered winter rainbow trout stocking? If you have bass 5 pounds and up that you want to "finish" out that is one way to do it. Winter rainbows also provide some entertaining fishing as well as add significant weight to LMB. The downside, and the reason I don't recommend them generally is because they are very good predators on your bluegill....very efficient. Without stocking Tilapia to take pressure off bluegills in the growing season, I wouldn't consider rainbows, but they are an option, IMO, in concert with warm weather Tilapia stocking.
You can catch some amazing LMB in late winter early spring after a fall rainbow stocking. Now that would be fun! I might have to start calling that pond Castaic or something after one of the California big bass lakes. 
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