This post is two years in the making. Two years of obsessive reading this forum at least 4 nights a week. Two years of compulsive pond talk to my wife and all of my friends, and two years of laying in bed at night thinking then dreaming of pond ideas. Most of you know what I am talking about. My life has changed after turning a life long dream into reality. My only regret is that I didn't take more pictures early on.

I think that I finally figured out how to post pictures so... here goes.

Sequential pictures pretty much tell the story. Pat yourselves on the back, this is the result of what WE as a group built. Thank you Pond Boss!

Behold... Lake Big Dock

Well done; BRAVO! That is one nice slice of tranquility, eh? I wanted to start complimenting each facet, but realized that my fingers would fail before I got to the middle of the list. The entire package shows planning and execution to the n'th degree (love the focal point white oak!)
Congrats, Blaine...ya made it home!

Gorgeous.

That's fantastic, I really like what you have created.

Thanks Brettski & Theo. That white oak is over 4' in diameter at the trunk and could not have been placed any better. The dept of soil & conservation said that it could be the largest in the county. They suggested that I list it with the Dept of Forestry (or something like that). I opted out. Even though I'll protect it for life, I don't need any crazy historical regulation put on my property. If it was the biggest around... Could there be any benefit to listing it?

Very well done and managed. A slice of heaven.

Sweet.

The pond looks awesome! Going to make a great home site. Good luck with the construction.

Congrats it's beautiful.

VERY NICE!!

I especially like all the trees around the water and how it creates it's own environment. I have on idea what the rest of the land looks like, or your area, but that spot is pure heaven!!!!

Eddie

Very nice Blaine but you're going to need a bigger dock and few more chairs when "WE" come to celebrate with ya.

Really like the stone border.

Dreams really do come true!! BEAUTIFUL! I hope your wife enjoys it as much as you do.

Blaine,

Beautiful pond! Congratulations on making your dream a reality.

Wow Blaine, what else can be said. Your pond is stunning, the dock looks great. I can just imagine the memories that will be made there. Congratulations.

Oh and by the way, I like the photo of the gun leaning against the post with the no trespassing sign.

Russ,

Funny you mention bigger dock and chairs in the same sentence. The next addition to the dock will be bench seats mounted at the sides between the middle and furthest posts. There will also be a high speed wireless router on one post for those "office days" and PB forum surfing while relaxing on the boat. Notice the early pictures showed rails (they were removable). Unfortunately, a combination of settling and miscalculation on the waterline forced me to raise that entire deck 18" at a rate of 1" increments with log chains and a load binder. All by myself.

I just finished the stone with the help from one friend a couple weeks ago. Almost 60 tons of rip rap loaded by hand onto a small loader, dumped, then spread by hand again. My back and shoulder are just now feeling back to normal. Doing it myself gives me a sense of accomplishment that I will remember and talk about for life.

I hope that some of you do come to celebrate someday. Open invitation to Pond Boss "subscribers". Without subscribers there would be no Pond Boss. Without Pond Boss, there would be no Lake Big Dock.

We break ground on the new house this coming Friday. There will be a large deck approx 100' behind the dock maximizing the view with an outdoor fireplace. Maybe even a future zip line from deck to other side of lake. If my wife gives the green light that is.

Oh, did I mention that my good neighbor "Cliff Carley" is an Elk farmer. Don't hear of those very often in Indiana but listening to them bugle in the fall is icing on the cake.

That's one of the prettiest ponds I've seen. It was always my dream to do a zip line from the deck to the pond. Why did you have to go remind me of that now? I was just starting to get some rest.

It gets better bz... [DISCLAIMER] Please do not try this at home. I do not endorse this, as partaking in this activity will most likely result in death (sooner or later). Boy, would this be some good fun though.

Here is a wreckless twist that was immediatly squashed by my sensible princess. A tether strap to the roller assembly attached to a shotgun. Blasting targets on the dam as you zip across the water just before releasing and plummeting into the drink. All while the shotgun stays dry ready to be retracted for another run. Not to be mixed with drinking or it will be sooner THAN later.

Reminiscent of "Skeet Surfin'" by Nick Rivers in the movie Top Secret!

Blaine I have bought steaks from Farley's and you can tell him they where the best steaks I have ever ate. I make a trip to Elwood about every three weeks for work, actually I am going next week, it's about time for some more steaks. What part of IN do you Live?

Donnie

DonJovi,

Currently, I live in Noblesville which is about 20 miles South of Elwood. My property and new pond is in extreme NE Hamilton Cnty which is about 5 miles South of Elwood. Cliff Carley has become a good friend/new neighbor of mine and I agree, Elk steak are where it's at. Low fat & cholesteral without sacrificiing the taste.

Cliff has been bit by the pond building bug as well and is in the process of building his own. Our properties actually connect. Let me know when you will be in the area and I'll introduce you to Cliff and give you the pond(s) tour. I will be around only Monday, Friday of next week, and the weekends.

AWESOME

I also like the shotgun leaning against the no trespassing sign!! Kudos to you sir!

Blaine I usually stay in Nobelsville at the Hampton Inn when I come to town. Looks like I will be there next Wednesday night or Thursday as of right now and off to Dayton OH on Friday, but my schedule changes by the minute. I will know something more definate by 1st part of next week. I would love to take a tour and check out your new pond, if we can make it happen.

Donnie

I almost forgot...I have been to Farleys farm in Atlanta IN, he used to sell steakes there before he opened his place by the main road (Route 37?). He has a neat place.

DonJovi,

I am familiar with the Hampton. However, we just got a new Fairfeild Inn at the intersection of 37 & 32 in Noblesville. The rooms are all suites and average in price around $89. I frequently have clients from out of State come to meet with me and I think it is the best value (for what it is worth).

Coincidentally, I am actually traveling to Kentucky on Wednesday returning on Thursday noonish. Toyota is a huge account for me. If you stay over on Thursday evening, I would make time to meet up with you on Friday morning or afternoon. Which ever works best for you. There is a slight possibility that I may be available on Thursday in the 2:30-4 time slot. By the way... It is actually called "Carley's". I told him this morning that we were talking about him on this forum. Who knows, maybe we will be blessed by a cameo appearance. I have been hammering him for weeks to get on this site while he constructs his pond. He is transplanting fish from another pond before establishing any forage for them to eat!! Cliff? Do you have anything to say for yourself? Pretty soon I am going to start transplanting fatheads from LBD to your pond at least to sustain them.

Blaine,

Thanks!! Your post is very timely as I am in the "cold feet" phase that must affect anyone on the verge of digging a pond. Beautiful place, congrats.

Joe

eat more elk! blain i thought my fish would be fine eating frogs and things. i guess i will order fat heads and crawdads this week any other suggestions? clay says u have 2 many fat heads. i saw dust flying off new house site friday. good luck with tractor this weekend please keep out of pond.

Clay is probably right about there being "too many fatheads". Remember, I am a rookie at this and had no idea that 30 lbs. of FHM's would turn into 3-4 million in the first spawn! My thinking now, given the circumstances is that it is better to have a smorgasboard (or minnow soup) for the future bass rather than almost nothing at all. I think that I can sustain them through the summer with constant feeding to fatten them up for the bass stocking in the fall. Maybe, with the abundance of forage the bass will grow even faster and bigger. Remember that when I stocked my FHM there was no predation unlike yourself. You may want to start topic of your own asking about stock quantities and ideas specific to your ponds current needs. These guys know what they are talking about and are ready to help. Let's learn this together.

ps. Careful with the crawdads... My understanding is that there are good and bad species to stock. Definately more info on this in the archives.

Blaine you got mail. Hopefully we could meet up.