Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait grow out pond

For forage or growout ponds I strongly recommend investing in a drain and knife valve now as opposed to many seasons pulling a seine. The cost of the 6-8" pvc and valve will be repaid after a few, ineffective, weed/fa filled seine pulls with the few volunteers you can manage convince to help you.

If this will be used as a grow out pond, probably best to go 8" pvc and valve to ensure they won't get stuck. Place the drain in the deepest part of the pond with sides all gradually leading to this deepest spot and the pond drains itself very well with remarkably few fish left behind.

If a drain and valve isn't an option and you are going to seine, remember a flat bottom but graduate to a deeper side as Scott explains - like a roller pan. Reduces amount of water necessary to pull seine and collects fish in the deepest part. I wintered SMB over in NE in 5' depth without known morts but also kept it snow free by running irrigation well periodically.