I have a good sized "creek" along a property line which is deeply surrounded by woods. The stream is 20 feet wide and flows consistantly even in drought. I've read about digger ponds and over the last 3 years I've been "enhancing" a natural ledge which forces the water to a vee in the center. By stacking clay and stone during periods of low water, I've managed to create quite a flow which has excavated (with help from me by removing the large rocks) an area 25 feet wide by 35 feet long. The hole drops off to 7 feet deep and there is a constant flow through the depression. What I have created is as close as I can imagine to a "digger pond". The water thru-put is huge and retention times range from minutes after a heavy rain to possibly a day in drought. The water exits by full width of the stream which is 20 feet but varies in depth from a few inches to 3 feet in heavy flow. My question is since there is no way to contain any of the fish (which are trout, rainbow and brookies) which the state stocks 3 miles upstream, is there any way I can entice them to stay longer? I have stacked large boulders providing an eddy from strong flow in multiple locations and fish do hang there. There is also gravel bottom in a good percentage of the area which may entice spawinig. Would feeding (from a bear proof feeder this time :rolleyes: ) be beneficial? I have to check if it's even legal in a stocked stream. Any suggestions?


[Linked Image from img.whynotgif.com]
[Linked Image from i68.photobucket.com]