Will channel catfish muddy a pond even if they are pond raised?

Catfish are great fish to keep, but you may be wondering will channel catfish muddy a pond even if they are pond raised? Find out what the pond experts think.

Roy is in Illinois. Hey Roy.

Hello!

What’s your question?

My question is I have about a 1.25 acre pond and it has clear water in it. Water’s clear. It has large Largemouth and large Hybrid Bluegill in it. I would like to put hatchery-raised Channel Catfish in it, but I’m afraid they’ll muddy the water. I’ve had biologists tell me that they won’t muddy the water because they’re pond-raised and not river-raised is that true?

Oh point, counterpoint.

I’ll tell you.

Okay somebody’s going to stare someone down.

You know really Channel Catfish will muddy a pond if they’re down if they have to be in the bottom, but Channel Catfish are kind of like our teenagers you know they’d rather eat meat but if they’ve got to root around in the refrigerator that’s what they’re going to do. So my advice to you is don’t stalk so many. Now another good piece of advice is don’t stock a much smaller than what would fit into the mouth of your biggest Largemouth Bass so stock larger Catfish from the hatchery. Stock in a 1.25 acre pond, stock 50 or 75 maybe 100 and then grow those up, and as they get larger then stock a few more and look at them as a put and take fish put them in, grow them up, take some out, add more later.

It’s great entertainment to sit around watch a fish trying to eat a fish that’s bigger than him. It never works out.