Pond Boss
Posted By: ABC DREAM POND - 12/15/16 09:30 PM
Recently I have been drawing up a pond that combines species from my two favorite lakes into a pond with habitat to support all of the species. My two favorite lakes are Lake of the Ozarks, MO and Lake Rabun, GA. These are both clear mountain lakes with lots of rocks, as well as many interesting different species. They also have lots of vegetation, I was thinking of implementing coon-tail along with possible some grass carp.

Species: Largemouth Bass, Hybrid White Bass, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, Golden Shiners, Threadfin Shad,

Others: Chain Pickerel, Smallmouth Buffalo, Spotted Gar,
I know that these would be hard to find as they are not well known sport fish, but they would be cool and interesting to try.

I can picture it now, each fish working in harmony with each other...
The perch and the sunfish all foraging in the grass beds, while overhead largemouth and hybrids are creating topwater explosions on the shad and shiners.
The giant buffalo wallowing in the shallows like manatees, and a pickerel slashing out from a patch of coon-tail as an unsuspecting shad ventures too far from the school.

So, with all of that being said, what are the flaws in my ludicrous plan? I know they exist, and want to hear and search for ways to remedy them. Also, leave a post below of what your DREAM POND, I love reading those posts.

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Posted By: Bill D. Re: DREAM POND - 12/15/16 10:10 PM
What!!!! No Catfish? Lake Oz is famous for them.
Posted By: ABC Re: DREAM POND - 12/15/16 10:15 PM
Oh yeah sorry, forgot the channel cats. Wouldn't put in blues or flatheads, they are too powerful. I've gone catfishing in LOZ, and those blues get giant!
Posted By: liquidsquid Re: DREAM POND - 12/16/16 11:35 AM
Its going to take a large BOW, time, and most importantly, money. The hard parts will be sourcing the fish, and predicting any sort of balance you may or may not achieve. The pond or lake will need to support a wide variety of habitats that are partially isolated from each other for all off those species to thrive, otherwise one will dominate over the others without a lot of management on your part... at least that is what I understand as I am not a biologist, just an learner and observer.
Posted By: TGW1 Re: DREAM POND - 12/16/16 01:16 PM
ABC, plan looks good on paper. And I can appreciate your goals. Ponds can be holes in the ground to throw money into. From my experience, lots and lots of money when trying paths different from the norm.
Posted By: CJD Re: DREAM POND - 12/16/16 04:28 PM
How big a pond are we talking here?
Posted By: ABC Re: DREAM POND - 12/16/16 04:55 PM
like liquid squid said, this would be a large BOW in order to have necessary habitat for each species. Probably more of a small lake.
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