Hobbies And Interests
Crappies
Crappies, nicknamed calico bass, often live in small ponds throughout their range. The black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) lives in habitats including small ponds in much of the eastern half of North America. They attain lengths up to 19 inches, according to the "National Audubon Society Field Guide to Fishes." Black crappies do well in small ponds with plentiful vegetation and cool, clear water. White crappies (Pomoxis annularis) grow smaller, to 15 inches, and handle turbid, muddied waters. They use submerged trees, logs and stumps for cover. Tell the difference between these two fish by the number of sharp spines on their dorsal fin. Black crappies feature seven or eight, but white crappie possess only five or six.
Sunfish
The blue coloring near the lower jaw on a bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) gives the fish its name. This sunfish is native from the Great Lake States through the Deep South and into the Great Plains. Bluegills grow to 16 inches, like to hide in vegetation and prefer a diet of insects, crayfish and minnows. The pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) lives in the Northeast, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic States in venues such as small ponds. They are colorful fish, splashed with shades of blue, olive, red, green and orange. Pumpkinseeds possess a black spot on their gill flaps, with a red tip. They tolerate muddy ponds and exposure to heat.
Pickerel
Pickerels are an aggressive predator in small pond settings. The redfin pickerel (Esox americanus) grows to 12 inches and has a missile shape common to other members of the pike family. Redfin pickerel do not eat fish, but subsist on a menu of invertebrates, insects and crayfish. The chain pickerel (Esox niger) will devour fish of all sizes in a small pond. It grows to 31 inches when food is abundant and competition for it is at a minimum, but is usually smaller in a pond. Chain pickerel have green, interlocking markings on their sides. In small ponds, when food is at a premium, chain pickerel are often thin and small in stature.
Bullheads
The bullheads are part of the vast catfish family and list small ponds among their haunts. The yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) lives throughout the eastern portion of North America. It reaches lengths of 19 inches in the biggest specimens, but those in small ponds are smaller. Yellow bullheads are omnivores, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, eating plants and animal matter they locate with a superior sense of smell. The brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) feeds mostly during nighttime, like other bullheads do. It lives in the eastern half of the United States, reaches lengths of 18 inches and prefers ponds with muddy bottoms. Brown bullheads have the ability to tolerate polluted ponds.