Pond Boss
ALL PONDMEISTERS MUST EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE
We recently completed our electoral primaries for our vote on Why do you own a pond? See the Pond vote; election primaries thread for details and results.
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To understand the thrust of this election, let's borrow a brief summary from our primary election:
 Quote:
This forum is based largely on owning and maintaining private fishin' holes. There is a base core of PB posters that eat, sleep, and drink the pond fishin' stuff. I wonder about the rest of the 3700-some other forum members. In my mind, the real common and binding thread is the pond itself. It just so happens that the most popular by-product is fish and fishing. This makes me wonder what the other pond uses are and who is using and enjoying them for those other reasons. Is it possible that, given a large enough sampling of the pondmeister cross-section, we might find pond-use applications that rival fishing? I say "let's find out".

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The final candidates are now prepared for voter selection. The voting booths are about to open. Let's lay out the ground rules:

  • You are already registered to vote if you own a pond or are seriously contemplating owning a pond.
  • A single ballot cast shall consist of your top 5 reasons to own a pond, starting with the most important and descending.
  • Each pond you own entitles you to one ballot (consisting of your top 5 reasons). For instance, if you own 3 ponds, the voter is entitled to cast 3 ballots; each with a top 5 list. Please keep multiple ballots separated within the post for ease of tally.
  • Make your selections from the available candidates within the Candidate List below. ALWAYS ENTER THE CANDIDATE NUMBER. The precinct captains also like to see the candidate reason following their number, but it is not mandatory (ie; 9 - swimming hole).
  • Should the voter be unable to locate his candidate reason within any of the broader categories within the Candidate List, it is acceptable to write in his own candidate. This write-in candidate shall be described as Other (instead of a Candidate Number from the Candidate List), and the voter shall add their own candidate reason (ie; Other - skinny dipping).

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SAMPLE BALLOT

Pond #1
13 irrigate crops
18 erosion control
1 quality private fishery
10 study aquaculture
5 wildlife for hunting

Pond #2
2 enhance land value
11 water livestock
18 erosion control
23 water for fire fighting
Other; racing radio control boats

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OK, there ya go. Enter the booth, pull the curtain, and cast your vote for Why you own a pond.
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CANDIDATE LIST
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
7) Fish hatchery (commercial)
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)
9) Swimming hole
10) To study aquaculture
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
12) To water livestock
13) To irrigate crops
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski)
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)
18) Erosion control
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
23) Water source for fire fighting
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

Posted By: Brettski Re: WHY DO YOU OWN A POND? - 09/22/07 01:34 AM
My vote
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4 - affordable water frontage
16 - to provide escape, peace, and relaxation
6 - to attract wildlife for preservation
24 - fun place to gather with family/friends
1 - quality private fishery
Other) It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid.
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
1) Quality private fishery
3) Ornamental landscaping
Posted By: ewest Re: WHY DO YOU OWN A POND? - 09/22/07 01:48 AM
Pond 1
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
9) Swimming hole
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
11) To study all of nature and/or biology

Pond 2
1) Quality private fishery
10) To study aquaculture
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

Pond 3
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

I will wait to vote the 2 oxbow lakes and the small unmanaged pond.
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
1) Quality private fishery
10) To study aquaculture
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
until yesterday my only vote was 16 but i got an ofer from a local seafood co for all the 4 to 8 oz cc i can grow so now it will have to be 16 and 22
MY VOTE! Pond Under Construction.
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
I vote yes.
Gail votes yes.
We have total agreement.
\:\)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
23) Water source for fire fighting
13) To irrigate crops
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
Pond #1
16 Escape, peace, and relaxation
22 Fresh fish for food
12 To water livestock
15 Non-powered water sports
23 Water source for fire fighting

Pond #2 (It's built, it's just not filled yet. Does it get a vote?)
20 Challenge of building
21 Challenge of maintaining
16 Escape, peace, and relaxation
22 Fresh fish for food
12 Water for livestock
1) # 1 - quality private fishery
2) # 23 - water for fire fighting
3) # 6 - general wildlife attractant
4) # 2 - enhance property value
5) #16 - place to sit and ponder
Posted By: Anonymous Re: WHY DO YOU OWN A POND? (forum members must vo - 09/22/07 06:08 AM
13.5 acre (we call it a lake)pond.
1
5
9
15
24
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation
1) Quality private fishery
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
16
20
21
24
4
JHAP's vote in more or less the order....

6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation (being a city boy I really like this benefit).
9) Swimming hole (fun except for the darn biting snails)
1) Quality private fishery (will enjoy this more after some additional fly fishing lessons from DIED)
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate (one in which no other property owner can block your view or access).
23) Water source for fire fighting (DIED taught me the value of this).

This was another effect, so far I'm not sure if it's a positive or negative..
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

JWHAP'S (jeff's wife has a pond's) reason...
To keep JHAP's mind and imagination somewhat occupied so that he doesn't create more chaos around the household than one relatively sane person can cope with. So far it's not working out that well.

16 Escape,peace,relaxation.
1 Quality private fishery
24 Fun place to gather
10 To study aquaculture
8 Grow out pond

Built my pond in 1984,still can"t get enough of it!






















































































1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
9) Swimming hole
16 Escape.

5 Attract wildlife for hunting.

24 Place to gather with family.


Sorry, no other reasons.
6 Attract wildlife for viewing
16 Provide peace and relaxation
24 A fun place to gather
22 Provide safe fresh fish for food
2 Enhance land value
First ballot, for my bigger recreational pond named "Big Oliver".


21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

1) Quality private fishery

24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)

10) To study aquaculture
16, 1, 24 ,2, 6
24 - Family/friends
16 - Relaxation
15 - Boating
9 - Swimming/playing
13 - Irrigation
1.

2.

16.

24.

And, just for the heck of it
9
1
2
3
24
There are so many reasons from the list like 1 and 24 ...etc for me but you missed the most important one that is not on your list. Thus I will add it here:

25. Because I do not have the money or land to own a Lake!!! \:D
4
9
6
16
15
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
9) Swimming hole
12) To water livestock
13) To irrigate crops
For my first pond:
1) Quality private fishery
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
3) Ornamental landscaping

Second pond:
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
2) To enhance land value

These are my reasons right now. It would be interesting to ask folks who currently have a pond to list the original reason they built a pond versus the current reaasons they like their pond. I bet they differ quite a bit. For instance the reasons I had for my first pond before I built it were:
3) Ornamental landscaping
2) To enhance land value
23) Water source for fire fighting
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate

Note that the reasons at first were nothing but practical. Since then I've discovered the true value of ponds. Maybe I was just trying to trick my wife into letting me build the pond, yeah, that's it, that's what I did!
16,1,22,24,11
16) escape, peace.....

24) fun place for gathering....

6) attract willife for viewing ....

1) quality private fishery .....

23) water source for fire fighting .....
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
1) Quality private fishery
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
9) Swimming hole
In from "Lake Big Dock"

16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
1) Quality private fishery (where I can fish by my own rules and regulations)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation
24) Fun place to gather with family and friends
9) Swimming hole
15) To provide non-powered water sports
Time for our first, preliminary tally of voters so far.
Because of so many candidates, selected within 5 different categories (top 5 reasons Why you own a Pond ), I am going to offer the results in 2 different formats.
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The first format will likely be the easier of the two to analyze and see the bigger picture. I simply tallied all the votes, regardless of their location within the top 5 of each ballot. The candidates are arranged in order by votes; first candidate listed = with most votes. The snapshot looks like this:
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 26 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 25 votes
1) Quality private fishery 21 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 12 votes
2) To enhance land value 10 votes
9) Swimming hole 10 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 7 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 7 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 7 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 6 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 5 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 4 votes
10) To study aquaculture 4 votes
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 4 votes
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 4 votes
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 3 votes
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 3 votes
12) To water livestock 2 votes
13) To irrigate crops 2 votes
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski) 1 vote
Other: been a dream since I was a kid
Other: just for the heck of it
Other: because I don't have the money or land to own a lake
7) Fish hatchery (commercial) 0 votes
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs) 0 votes
18) Erosion control 0 votes
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall) 0 votes

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The second method of tally is a bit more detailed. It is broken down into the top 5 reasons you own a pond. I extracted all the #1 choices from each ballot and tallied only those. I did the same for each of the remaining #2, #3, #4, and #5 choices from each ballot. The results came out like this:
#1 choice (out of top 5)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 12 votes
1) Quality private fishery 9 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 2 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 2 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 2 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 1 vote
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 1 vote
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 1 vote
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 1 vote

#2 choice (out of top 5)
1) Quality private fishery 7 votes
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 5 votes
2) To enhance land value 4 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 3 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 3 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 2 votes
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 2 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 2 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 1 vote
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 1 vote

#3 choice (out of top 5)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 10 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 6 votes
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 5 votes
1) Quality private fishery 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 2 votes
2) To enhance land value 1 vote
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
12) To water livestock 1 vote
13) To irrigate crops 1 vote
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 1 vote
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 1 vote
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 1 vote

#4 choice (out of top 5)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 6 votes
2) To enhance land value 3 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 3 votes
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 3 votes
1) Quality private fishery 2 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 2 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 2 votes
9) Swimming hole 2 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 1 vote
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 1 vote
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 1 vote
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 1 vote
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski) 1 vote
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 1 vote
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 1 vote

#5 choice (out of top 5)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 4 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 3 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 3 votes
9) Swimming hole 3 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 3 votes
2) To enhance land value 2 votes
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 2 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 2 votes
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 2 votes
1) Quality private fishery 1 vote
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 1 vote
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 1 vote
10) To study aquaculture 1 vote
12) To water livestock 1 vote
13) To irrigate crops 1 vote
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 1 vote

OK forum members....here is the big pitch (again)
The above preliminary tally is based on about 40 posters casting ballots. This forum is comprised of over 3700 members. We have already seen a couple ballots cast by fingerling level members; thank you for your votes! I believe I speak for everybody, particularly the moderators and Bob Lusk, when I say thank you for everyone's participation. Take a look at what we have so far. This is the kind of stuff that guides decisions, provided it is accurate and from a significant cross section. We can have a positive effect on Bob Lusk's thought process as he makes decisions on not only the forum, but the Pond Boss mag itself.
We can really take this thing to a new level, but we need participation from everyone. The thread title says that forum members must vote. That's a bit agressive and a turn-off. It's more like forum member, please vote. We need your support.
thx/Bski
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(edit; if you voted on the first thread, Pond Vote; Election Primaries, and not this thread, your vote has not been counted. That first thread was only used to elect the candidates. There are a number of the forum comrades that posted on the first election primaries, but did not cast their ballot on this thread...the one that really counts. Please do.
Sorry I've been late in casting.

1 Quality Private Fisher
16 Place to escape
21 Maintain a complex ecosystem (or destroy one...whatever)
24 Gathering Place
** OTHER (Create a generational legacy to pass down)
Okay, slackers, here's an incentive to vote.

I figure Brettski spent at least 40 hours doing statistics for the above analysis on just 40 ballots. Figuring that the demands on his time to repeat this ciphering will go up with the square of the number of votes, if we can get another 100 or so forum members to list their reasons for owning a pond, he'll be busy until Halloween. Another 200, and he won't darken our digital door again until after the first of the New Year. It's up to YOU.

Theo Gallus
President, PB Committee to Keep Brettski Busy

Here's the vote for my Dad's pond.

24
22
1
16
10
Here's the vote for my lined ponds.


7
8
10
20
5

Surprisingly great dove hunting if you drain one of the ponds in the fall. I'm actually thinking of doing it early next year on purpose for just that reason.
 Originally Posted By: Bruce Condello
Here's the vote for my lined ponds.


That's times 2 for the benefit of keeping Brettski busy, right, Bruce?
More work for B'ski is a good thing.
I that think histograms would be a good presentation format with which to digest the data.

An occasional pie chart will also be required.
So much back stuff to read something about voting did not seem interesting to me. Sorry, here it is.

1
9
11
16
24
)Because when I bought the house it was already here
)Weight control (I weigh next to nothing when I'm
in the water)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation
9) Swimming hole

Cam
By golly, she's got two new good reasons, Brettski.
Yeah, that dang Green Party has all the right candidates to appeal to the grass-roots. I'm even thinkin' about converting. I forgot all about the advantages of middle-aged buoyancy.
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Thanks for the vote, Cam.
B'ski,

Not trying to interfere with your election process but the first, second, third and so on choices for first place, then the first, second, third and so on choices for second place gets a little confusing by the time you get down to fourth and fifth position.

May I suggest simply taking each ballot and giving first choice 5 points, second choice 4 points, third 3 points, fourth 2 points and fifth 1 point. Total the points up and you will have first, second, third and so on listed as the most popular reasons. I'm sure there are simple programs that would do most of the work, free up your time and give the results you are looking for.

Uh oh, what did I just do? Sorry guys.
 Quote:
Not trying to interfere with your election process

Dan,
This is our election process. I'm pleased to see your input and think your idea is very good. When I tallied those preliminary numbers and presented them, I knew that the second set of 5 categories would be nearly senseless. I hoped for organizational input. Thank you for rising to the occassion.
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I like your plan. What say the rest of the posters? Any other ideas?
Aw heck; lets just keep Brettski doing it the hard way. A teetotaler has to really hunt for something to do. Yep, a histogram and pie chart also seem in order here. Of course, we will need to see the standard deviation calculation for proof.
I reiterate that I had to produce and present 813 charts, graphs, and finite element analysis compilations to the forum before anyone would even acknowledge my presence.
Who are you?
B'ski,

I think I am starting to detect an ulterior motive behind the keep B'ski working postings........ Nah, the guys wouldn't... Would they? \:\)
4 acre pond;

16
1
2
5
9

.6 acre pond;

8
other- reservoir to help maintain large pond water level
2
no other reason

.1 acre pond

5
2
8
16
it was there when we bought the land
 Originally Posted By: DAN PATERSON
B'ski,

I think I am starting to detect an ulterior motive behind the keep B'ski working postings........ Nah, the guys wouldn't... Would they? \:\)

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yeeeaahh bay-bee!
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OK, now. SOMEBODY out there is looking at this and thinking "Man, I'm too lazy to do this". Well get off your tail and vote! It's important!!
 Originally Posted By: Theo Gallus
By golly, she's got two new good reasons, Brettski.


You know Theo, If this place hadn't already had a pond when I bought it I never would have had one. I love my pond to death but would have just figured it would have been way too expensive to even have one built and never even checked on it.

Really, around here where the lay of the land is already rolling hills and the earth is clay, you can have a large bulldozer come in and in one day you can have a pond without a great expense. I think if more people were aware that they really don't have to spend as much, in some cases, as they imagine, then a lot more people would have ponds.

Surely someone besides me owns a pond because they bought a place that already had one - then got addicted...

Just as an aside - I thought one of you boys might need this - someone is selling them on ebay for .99 cents

[img][/img]
Pond 1 - I built about 150 yards from my house

16 - Peaceful and Relaxing
20 - Building challenge
3 - Landscaping (and Koi)
5 - Wildlife Hunting
21 - Maintaining it

Pond 2 - Existing pond on property I purchased for hunting

5 - Wildlife Hunting
12 - Water Livestock
1 - Quality Fishery
24 - Fun Place
2 - Land Value
A handy pit into which I can throw all my excess money.
SoSauty

20 Dad & brother had ponds
21 it ain't finished just cause there's water in it
16 rather observe the fish than catch 'em
11 a pond provides a great 'nature' challenge
22 wife & I love to eat fish
Brettski:

When do the polls close?
I'm due to run the tally again and apply a more coherent analysis of the data (likely the method recommended by Dan Paterson on pg 2/bottom). We can see what it looks like and go from there.
As far as closing the polls, I'm thinkin' that this electoral process can feasibly run indefinitely. The idea was to attract ALL the forum members to go to the top of Page 1 of this thread and select their top 5 candidates and cast a ballot. . Voter apathy on such an important matter is a pondal crime.
Is there any way to know how many of the 3812 members are active members? If they haven't logged in once in the last year, can you really count them as members?
Where I work, if you do not touch an account for 6 months, the status is automatically changed to 'dormant'. That might work well here.
1
16
21
22
24
in no particular order,that should make polling interesting
I'm late to the party, but here are my votes (in order of importance):

2 - To enhance land value
24 - A fun place to gather with family and friends
1 - Quality private fishery
6 - To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
9 - Swimming hole

Jeremy
Woops! I'm very late to the party.
1. 24
2. 16
3. 12
4. 5
5. 23
 Originally Posted By: Edward P. Eitel
Woops! I'm very late to the party.

Not to worry, Ed. The polls always close later out West.
In order of importance:
1) Quality private fishery
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
9) Swimming hole
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
I agree with 'bbjr' above, his order works for me...........
1) Quality fishery for myself, father and brother.

21) the challenge of maintaining a complex ecosystem

16) very relaxing after a long day's work.

24) provide a reason for friends and family to visit

22) grow fish and then eat them

write ins....

25) a place to watch my brother fall out of the jon boat

26) a refuge for geese which leave big goose turds all over my pier.

27) a place for my wife to safely sink my body if I buy one more thing from bass pro shops.

28) a place where children can stop to urinate because its too far to the house and they really had to go bad.

29) a handy place to toss the cats when they are particularly annoying.
 Originally Posted By: SnapperHead
29) a handy place to toss the cats when they are particularly annoying.


Ooh, ooh. I'm adding that one to my list!
2
3
13
16
1
Pond #1
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
10) To study aquaculture
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
2) To enhance land value
Here is my late list.
16. Escape, peace and relaxation
1. Quality fishery
24. Fun place to gather with family and friends
OTHER Financial Investment
21. Family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

I can't believe that no one else owns their pond as a financial investment. With the rising cost of recreation property, recreational land and pond ownership sure beats the stock market and you get to enjoy it while you own it. It is always amazing to me the dirty, hard work that I will do on my property. I would avoid it like the plague if I had to do some of those chores at home.
1-quality private fishery
5-to attract wildlife for hunting
6-to attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
24-a fun place to gather family and friends
Time for our second tally of voters so far.
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As a dedicated PB precinct captain, it is my sworn duty to faithfully tally and deliver election results (the fact that D-ski went to a baby shower so I don't have anybody to bug might also have something to do with my perceived committment).
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I'm going to try 2 methods of reporting the tally. The first method will be the same as the first tally. I simply tallied all the votes, regardless of their location within the top 5 of each ballot. The candidates are arranged in order by votes; first candidate listed = with most votes. The snapshot looks like this:
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16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) 42 votes
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends 38 votes
1) Quality private fishery 35 votes
2) To enhance land value 18 votes
9) Swimming hole 16 votes
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation 15 votes
5) To attract wildlife for hunting 14 votes
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem 13 votes
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food 13 votes
3) Ornamental landscaping 7 votes
10) To study aquaculture 7 votes
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it 7 votes
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate 7 votes
23) Water source for fire fighting 6 votes
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer) 6 votes
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing) 5 votes
11) To study all of nature and/or biology 5 votes
12) To water livestock 5 votes
13) To irrigate crops 2 votes
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski) 1 vote
7) Fish hatchery (commercial) 1 vote
Other: been a dream since I was a kid 1 vote
Other: just for the heck of it 1 vote
Other: because I don't have the money or land to own a lake 1 vote
Other: create a generational legacy to pass down 1 vote
Other: reservoir to help maintain another pond 1 vote
Other: financial investment 1 vote
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs) 0 votes
18) Erosion control 0 votes
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall) 0 votes

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A couple of notable dynamic shifts from the 1st tally to this new tally:

  • first, second, and third place remain intact by similar margins
  • previous 5th place, #2) To enhance land value, has jumped up to 4th place, displacing #6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation dropping it down 2 places to 6th place
  • #9) Swimming hole...has jumped up from 6th to 5th place
  • #7) Fish hatchery (commercial) ...finally got a vote
  • ...and some other shifts further down the list, along with 3 new "Other" write-ins

The second method of talley will be the Dan Paterson Formula:
 Quote:
May I suggest simply taking each ballot and giving first choice 5 points, second choice 4 points, third 3 points, fourth 2 points and fifth 1 point. Total the points up and you will have first, second, third and so on listed as the most popular reasons.

-
I extracted the top five within each top five category and used the DP formula (if you're from Chicago, I'll remind you that DP stands for Dan Paterson in this context). Anyway, this is the final analysis using all the data collected, to date.

1st PLACE (154 delegates)
#16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)

2nd PLACE (136 delegates)
#1) Quality private fishery

3rd PLACE (105 delegates)
#24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

4th PLACE (31 delegates)
#6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation

5th & 6th PLACE (2 way tie) (30 delegates each)
#5) To attract wildlife for hunting
#2) To enhance land value

7th PLACE (26 delegates)
#22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food

8th PLACE (19 delegates)
#9) Swimming hole

9th & 10th PLACE (2 way tie) (10 delegates each)
#4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
#20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it

Honorable mentions for...
11th and 12th PLACE (2 way tie)
(4 delegates each)
#23) Water source for fire fighting
#21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
1) Quality private fishery
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
Well, there ya go...
teehjaeh57...you da man! 'errr, da gal! 'errr, da Pondmeister!
-
We have only started the voting. TJ57 just kick-started the next phase. Thank ya...great first post!
-
GO HERE TO REVIEW VOTING REQUIREMENTS, CANDIDATES, AND INSTRUCTIONS
Brettski, if you're gonna tally things up like in Chicago, I must insist my dead relatives all get a vote. ;\)
Yes, it's man, and thanks for the welcome. Been reading voraciously for couple weeks now - so much so my wife thinks I'm definitely up to something in my office...

"How can a hole in the ground take so much time and planning?"

Suffice it to say, if one needs to pose that question, they certainly won't understand the answer.

Cheers, and thanks again. Looking forward to sharing the process of developing my ponds with you all.

Tom Hudson
less than 1/8 acre
3) Ornamental landscaping
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
10) To study aquaculture (large fish in small environment)

.85 acres
1) Quality private fishery
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
7) Fish hatchery (commercial) Guided Trout Fishing
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

1.3 acres
1) Quality private fishery
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
7) Fish hatchery (commercial) Raise fish in cages
10) To study aquaculture
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

2 acres
1) Quality private fishery
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
7) Fish hatchery (commercial) Raise fish in cages
10) To study aquaculture
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem

3.25 acres
2) To enhance land value
9) Swimming hole
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
1) Quality private fishery

25.08 acres
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends (church camps, boys camps, father/son camps, etc)
14) To provide powered water sports (ie; skiing, jetski)
1) Quality private fishery (best fishing in Illinois)
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate (we bought the entire 75 acre property for less than 65k in 2003! Worth about 500k in 2008!)
5) To attract wildlife for hunting (lots of waterfowl!)
9) Swimming hole

24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or
otherwise)

Other- Learn and experiment with it to help me build better ponds.

Other- Have a sample of my work that will last 1 or 2 centuries.
Also Brettski,
I would have filled out your poll earlier, but dont really read the section that it is posted in. I would suggest moving it to questions and observations or the archives if you want more people to fill it out.

I basically only have time to read the questions and observations. rarely do I venture into the other categories.
Thanks for responding Nate. It is an awkward poll, no matter how you look at it. I think you just set the benchmark for pond candidates.
pond #1

quality private fishery
fresh fish for consumption
fun place to gather family, friends
attract view wildlife
fire fighting
My wife and I are a young couple, married less than 2 years currently renting a small house. We like to go riding around in the evenings and do a little sight-seeing. We came across this piece of property in a beautiful neighborhood and fell in love at first sight. We always wanted at least 10 acres and a pond. The property is 10.55 acres with a 4.5 acre pond. We've been blessed!

quality private fishery
fresh fish for consumption
fun place to gather family, friends
attract view wildlife
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
1) Quality private fishery
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
2) To enhance land value
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
23) Water source for fire fighting
1) Quality private fishery
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)
Why wouldn't you?

Quality fishing whenever the mood strikes.
Family/friend entertainment
Watch wildlife
Fresh dinner
I need the spoils to raise the land where I plan to build, did not see that on the list...
 Originally Posted By: ETD66SS
I need the spoils to raise the land where I plan to build, did not see that on the list...


That's OK. I think you just put that in wherever, and then it gets it's own category later.
Right on the money, Dr Bruce...thx.
-
ETD,
Yep, that becomes a write-in candidate and will be tallied as such (along with the other write-in's) on the next vote-count. Are there not any other reasons that you would want to fill that new hole with water? Anything from the candidate list ?
-
Thanks for kickin' in!
Bski
Pond 3 - in renovation. Some new ones here.

To prove it can be done right this time

To make the jerk neighbors envious

To plan for family population increases (the future)

To insist that the builders do what they said they would for the price quoted

To make mother nature admit that sometimes "it all depends" on man's efforts.
 Originally Posted By: ewest

To make the jerk neighbors envious

To insist that the builders do what they said they would for the price quoted

and this is the nice Moderator.
\:D
ROFL \:D
Good point, Theo.

ewest--you have fun neighbors too? We've got a real winner next door.
Most are good people - a few are @** #0!%& . To the second group all property is for them to use. You can tell where they have been - there is a trail of dead stuff and trash.
16 and then 1... Unfortunately, I've came to the conclusion that sooner or later, we all have bad neighbors. We just have some exceptionally bad neighbors.
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
10) To study aquaculture
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
All of the above! \:\) Ok, choosing one, I would go with 6) as I just love watching the wildlife near and in the water, it's peaceful and tranquil and leaves me in awe every time I'm out there.
Brettski - my #1 reason did not make the candidate list - our pond is our source of water for our home. Unless we qualify as livestock or the perhaps the fire-fighting angle. We live in the country - no city water. And unfortunately we are in an area where very few wells provide water of quality and volume - we drilled 2 wells before going the pond route.

16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
2) To enhance land value
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
1) Quality private fishery
Domestic water source should have been on the list; forgive us for missing it, as it is about as uncommon as it is important.

What county are you in?
My bad - after rereading the original request and many replies I see "other" was a common category choice that would have sufficed.
I am in Ashtabula County - extreme NE Ahia bordered by PA and Lake Erie.
I have two ponds - the first one was built after the wells went dry and is maybe 1/4 acre. Built in 1980. During dry weather it went down low enough to concern me so I wanted more - for water security. Figured I might as well try to make it a nature thing and of course have fish. You guys helped me tremendously. Thanks.
Posted By: GW Re: WHY DO YOU OWN A POND? (forum members must vo - 05/18/08 09:19 PM
Hey all, I'm sorry it took me so long to vote. When this poll first started I didn't have a pond, and since I got one I've been super busy. Imagine that.

My Pond (I'll get Cindy to vote when hers is completed.

11) To study all of nature and/or biology
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
1) Quality private fishery
1) Quality private fishery
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
Other; wheelchair accessible water for my wife to fish and kayak
1) Quality private fishery
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
My pond:
1) Quality private fishery
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
I guess I'm overdue to re-calculate the tally. Many thanks to these last voters since the last run-off.
Please don't think any less of me as a precinct Captain; I'm from Chicago.
I must excercise my right to vote.... \:\)

Pond #1 (About 4 acres?)
1) Quality private fishery
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

Pond #2 (About 1/3 acre?)
1) Quality private fishery
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)(to pond #1!)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation

I would have voted sooner, but since I just found this forum a few weeks ago, I have been reading a LOT of valuable information. I must say that I was not certain as to the depth of my ignorance about ponds.....It went pretty deep! The more I read here, the less ignorance I have...

-Dave


First post here.

Get to meet people at the conference. And shake there hands.

Otto
I'm with Dwight I vote yes as well.
my reasons are the same as davers
Good to get this going again.
Pond is less than 1/2 acre.

1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)

And, one prime reason that wasn't listed. It is the main ingredient in my geothermal heat pump. The highest utility bill so far for over 3000 sq ft home is $160 with the high this summer of $120.
1) Quality private fishery
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation
1) Quality private fishery
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 15 are my top 6 reasons.
I built my pond for mainly for recreation, good fishing and attract wildlife, and there is no better place to cool off in those hot summer days than a pond. I also had an erosion problem in the area I built the pond.

1- Quality fishin
5- Attract wildlife
9- Swimming hole
18- Erosion Control
2- Enhance Land Value
I live on a subdivison lake, one of 6. When I purchased the property in 2000 it was for the following reasons.
4
9
15
16
19
When the water quality went south four years later my priorities and interests changed from enjoying the water, to realizing I loved the water. Now my interest is in improving the water, understanding lake ecosystems, evaluating the fishery and improving and managing it for the future, educating residents about Best Mgmt. Practices, changing policies and procedures to protect and preserve the lakes for the future, studying everything about water eco-systems. In short, I want to be a real Lake Steward and do something good in my life, when I look back years from now (if I am lucky) I can say I did something important that made a real difference. The friendships I make along the way with other like-minded people are a big bonus that I did not expect.
We own the bottom lands of our lake/pond, it was platted that way, but only on 1/2 of the lake. Sharing water frontage with others makes the management/practices more difficult than if it were a pond I owned or created myself.
Lynda, just a thought. You may be able to attract more fish to your area by installing an aerator to provide O2 and improve water quality in your vacinity. That is if you are looking for better fishing.
Thanks Bergmeister:
Now I know much more: the fishery has not been managed, some fish were stocked back in the mid-80's. The lake existed before the homes were built, it was a gravel pit. Shallow. Think about this: zero habitat, zero vegetation, like an aquariam with nothing in it. Pallet structures are out, swimming and diving, so we are going to have to create some safer lower type places, there are no docks, nothing in the bottom. Can't understand, no natural fish kill since I have lived there, wouldn't that mean there is enough D.O. in there?
Because I always wanted one! ;\)
2,3,6,16,24.
Sorry. Guess I havent seen the beginning descriptions of the Lake. Have you posted pics?
No Bergmeister:
Don't know how to put photos on the computer. Maybe this winter Margaret can come over and we can figure it out. Have lots of photos of white scum, green bubbles, neon water with what we call "stretch marks." Also have photos of beautiful clear blue water-we will get back to it, because we won't give up, and because it is all solvable, it just takes tenacity, perseverance,teamwork, money and knowledge, and hiring the right people. We have made amazing progress fighting our our H.O. Association (living in Stepfordville full of original owners who don't care). I think it is like a pyramid scheme; if you bought early you paid little for beautiful water, had extremely low dues, and will do well whenever you leave. For those like me, well it has become pretty much a full time job. So if you see Margaret and I on the news chained to the South Blvd. drain to get it diverted, don't be surprised.
Is this still open?

1) Quality private fishery
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
9) Swimming hole
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
the water is always beautiful from any angle

all life is drawn to the water
Here is mine.

1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
3) To attract wildlife for hunting
Fishing!



Fishing

Swimming

Wildlife

Family Gatherings

My favorite place to drink beer

I love to watch kids actually catching fish
Better late than never I guess. Here's mine:

1) Quality private fishery
5) Some limited hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
25) A safe close to home place to give the dogs some water training (Springer Spaniels)
Thought I'd already voted, but oh well. Here goes. For both ponds...

1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
1. It's my own!
16. It's my escape!
24. It brings us together!
9. Time to swim!
10. I am a closet aquaculturist!
1) private quality fishery
22) fresh food
5) enhanced hunting opportunity
16) an escape
24) family gatherings
1- Quality Privat Fishery
20- The Challenge of Building it
21- The Challenge of Maintaining a complex Ecosystem
24- A fun place for Family and Friends
16- Peace, escape, and relaxation
1) Quality private fishery
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
#1 Quality private fishery
#24 Fun place to gather with family and friends
#16 Provide Escape, peace and relaxation
#5 Attract wildlife for hunting
#6 Attract wildlife for viewing
Pond 1:

12) To water livestock

1) Quality private fishery

22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food

16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)

24) A fun place to gather with family and friends



Pond 2:

12) To water livestock



Pond 3:

12) To water livestock




Pond 4:

12) To water livestock



And that's the way it is, to quote the late Mr. Cronkite. May he rest in peace.
My vote: #24........ A fun place to gather with family and friends!
We love having family over to fish, talk and fellowship down at our pond. We want to get the pond really producing so we can have some of the older folks at out church come over and catch fish. Our goal is to host a Sunday School party at our home, catch fish and fry 'em up there!

#16 as well... after a day at the Mill...I walk down and sit in my swing and just watch.....
1. Quality private fishery
24
6
1
12, 1, 2
I guess I need to get my vote in!

Pond #1 (1/2 acre):
24 - fun with family/friends
11 - study all of nature and/or biology
16 - escape,peace, and relaxation
6 - attract wildlife for viewing
21 - personal challenge of managing complex ecosystem

Pond #2 (1.5 acres):
1 - develop quality private fishery
24 - fun with family/friends
15 - non-powered water sports opportunities
16 - escape, peace, and relaxation
21 - personal challenge of managing complex ecosystem
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
4) Provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)
18) Erosion control
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

And the original reason .. one which is not listed ..

To take advantage of a a natural water source on my property
Pond under construction

1) Quality private fishery
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
9) Swimming hole
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
1 - Quality private fishery
18 - Erosion control
5 - To attract wildlife for hunting
20 - A family or personal challenge of actually building it
24) A fun place to gather with family and friend
99) get out of doing honey does
I cannot complete registration so I cannot complete my all members MUST vote requirement. I don't own a pond. I am not contemplating owning a pond, ever. People buy them and pay me to manage them. Not only do I get to do whatever I want, whenever I want, I get paid to do it.
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
9) Swimming hole
1) Quality private fishery
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
1) Quality private fishery
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
This old thread showed up recently, and here are a few more thoughts . . .

I got home this evening to the east-coast from a rather stressful 4-day west-coast business trip. I've had very little time at home, or at my pond, in the last several weeks.

When I got home this evening, it was early enough to still have some daylight. I took a fishing pole, rigged with a small rubber salamander, to the pond. The pond was really active because of lots of bugs flying just above water level. Before I even got to the water, two deer spotted me, and showed their disdain. They slowly wandered off to into the thickets, where they continued to snort their disdain at me. Just as I made my first cast, something else caught my eye. It was a flock of turkeys. I counted twelve. They scurried into the woods.

That first cast hooked a small bass. Then I caught a monster male bluegill in full regalia mating colors. As I got around the back side of the pond, I caught two more bass and a trout. Then I heard several snorts behind me. There were ten deer at the opposite corner of the pond expressing their displeasure at me being in their territory. As I made eye contact with them, several continued to snort, but they all slowly drifted into the woods and quickly became invisible in the camouflage of the brush.

I hauled in one more medium size bass, and it was time for dinner.

What more describes the pleasure of owning a pond?

Ken
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
23) Water source for fire fighting
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
Originally Posted By: catmandoo
This old thread showed up recently, and here are a few more thoughts . . .

I got home this evening to the east-coast from a rather stressful 4-day west-coast business trip. I've had very little time at home, or at my pond, in the last several weeks.

When I got home this evening, it was early enough to still have some daylight. I took a fishing pole, rigged with a small rubber salamander, to the pond. The pond was really active because of lots of bugs flying just above water level. Before I even got to the water, two deer spotted me, and showed their disdain. They slowly wandered off to into the thickets, where they continued to snort their disdain at me. Just as I made my first cast, something else caught my eye. It was a flock of turkeys. I counted twelve. They scurried into the woods.

That first cast hooked a small bass. Then I caught a monster male bluegill in full regalia mating colors. As I got around the back side of the pond, I caught two more bass and a trout. Then I heard several snorts behind me. There were ten deer at the opposite corner of the pond expressing their displeasure at me being in their territory. As I made eye contact with them, several continued to snort, but they all slowly drifted into the woods and quickly became invisible in the camouflage of the brush.

I hauled in one more medium size bass, and it was time for dinner.

What more describes the pleasure of owning a pond?

Ken




Cat,

You said it all right there!! You can spend as little as 30 minutes around your pond and everything seems better doesn't it? It really is quite amazing how calming it is and stress free! I wish I could spend more time at mine! I go up there for the day and it's like before I know it I have to leave and go home and I am not ready to go! smile I live for the day I have my cabin built there so we can spend weekends at the pond and not have to leave so quickly. Great post Cat!
1) Quality private fishery
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
9) Swimming hole
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
CANDIDATE LIST
1) Quality private fishery
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)
9) Swimming hole
13) To irrigate crops
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
In no particular order.....

CANDIDATE LIST
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
escape,peace relaxation
also for my grandkids to enjoy
Posted By: FRIZ Re: WHY DO YOU OWN A POND? - 07/18/10 07:45 PM
2) To enhance land value

9) Swimming hole

17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)

22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food

grin
Ponds A, B, C, and D

#1
#3
#16
#20
#24

Sure enjoy the occasional bald eagle catch his one or two large mouth bass when he come through every April.
I agree 200 percent. I can just drift away when I at the big spill way pipe. I lose track of time.
Other- Fracking Water
12
18
24
1
2

The top three take proirity being from a farming family. The rest are extra benefits of owning many different ponds in various locations around my hometown.
12) provide water for cows
If I must, I must ;-)

16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
9) Swimming hole
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
3) Ornamental landscaping
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
23) Water source for fire fighting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
2) To enhance land value
Taking family, and especially my grandchildren to feed the fish!

I enjoy sitting on the pier, and just relaxing. Watching the bass chase forage, they remind me of wolves!

Watching the fish grow, and learning to be a pond "meister".

And occasionally, fishing.
So I can fish in my front yard..
Here is why I own a pond. Just looking at it says relax and stress free written all over it!




Attached picture Pond.jpg
1,9,11,16,24. Top 5.
Corey, is that rake therapeutic?
I thought about this prev. thread last night on why we own a pond. This is my wife with her 92 yr. "young" grandmother. She talked about this fishing trip the rest of the evening, and what a good time she had fishing.

Attached picture 2012-09-19_19-24-56_928.jpg
RE hd82 about the smaller woman. Can they provide shade in summer and heat in winter?
(1) was my original top priority but that has since shifted to others

1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
1,16,2,5
Why do I own two ponds? Well, they came with the land I purchased. I have 6 grandchildren that love to fish. I love to fish. I raised angelfish and sold them to fish stores. I was in the Navy. Therefore I like/love water and aquatic life. Nuff said.....
Wow, I missed this. But since I am never one to disobey and I am very civic minded, here's my vote:
1. Quality Private Fishery
2. A private place for escape, peace and relaxation
3. Fun private place to gather with friends and family
4. Swimming hole that is private
5. Enhance property values

Can you tell I like my privacy?
1.To show your kids they can do anything they want in life.
2. A private sanctuary to hunt, FISH, swim, drink beer, and view GODS creations all around and to get away.
3.SO that you own your OWN LAKE!!!!
1.) So I don't have to deal with inconsiderate and selfish people on public waters.

2.) Recreation and respite from stress.

3.) Freedom to manage the water the way I want.

4.). One pond is also used for swimming exercise.

5.) Addtional income

6.) A hobby farm.
pond #1, the 'trout pond'
1) fishing for my kids
3) beautify view from house
9) swimming in the summer
13) backup water for crops
22) fried fish or fish on the grill

pond #2, the 'frog pond'
6) attract wildlife
12) water cattle
18) improve water cycle in pastures
19) waterfall
24) frog catching for kids

lots more good reasons too, but I followed the instructions carefully.
living in a semi-desert, water is life, and a beautiful sight at all times.
Pond#1
3) Ornamental landscaping
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends

Pond#2
1) Quality private fishery
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
All the above
1-6
15
16
24

Building a pond has been one of the best projects ive ever taken on.
#1,3,15,16, and 24
ALL THE ABOVE! And then some

Pat W
1, 6, 16, 22, and 23.

Stickem'
#25 To irritate Bruce
I thought I did this already,but could not find my post so here is my two cents:
20, 21, 16,1,10
The main reason I own a pond is they threw it in for free when I bought my house/land. Little did I know how much I would enjoy it...


1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
9) Swimming hole
10) To study aquaculture
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
15) To provide non-powered water sports (ie; canoeing, rowing)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
I finally have enough water to call what I have, a pond. Ha
So, here's my vote:

1 private fishing
16 peaceful escape
24 fun place for family gatherings, and (9 swimming)
5 attract wildlife
2 land value.
16, 1, 21, 3, 6 I had to think about this for awhile, I do enjoy a challenge and this subject seems plenty complicated enough. The relaxation is also important. My wife is already retired, 6 more months for me, and I can sit on the dock and drink some German Hefe Weizen and feed the fish. Also, I'm sure the grandkids will love it.
1. Occupy my time to keep me out of the beer joints (truth be known I don't even care for beer much anyway).

2. Occupy my time to keep me from chasing wild women. Funny thing is, my wife has lots of girlfriends but allows me none. Every time I ask she says no. Look but don't touch are her sage instructions and I follow them to the letter.

3. Get rid of all excess money so I will not have any to go to the beer joints and chase wild women even if I wanted to.
LMAO that's funny snrub,

I just enjoy mine, for good family fun, kids smiles, catching some nice fish to eat, most of all stress free environment...

RC
I like having something special to share with my wife, kids, grandkids, and good friends. Fish of course, but not just that: Water birds, deer, frogs, toads, raccoons, you name it.

Also, I keep learning new things in the attempt to maximize the BOW potential. Learning stuff is fun.
I didn't realize it at the time, but apparently it was because I desired something to spend TONS of money on! haha
Originally Posted By: wbuffetjr
something to spend TONS of money on! haha


Amen to that brother...but I do feel it can be a decent investment. They don't make dirt any more.
I caught my first bass in my great grandfathers pond in Magee, MS wearing a purple tie dye shirt. I got so spastic I couldn't reel that Z101 so just turned around and ran down the levee. I want to share that same great memory with all of the young chaos in my family and friends etc.

Love to catch cook and eat fish.

It's hot as hell down here 4 months of the year and we have a floating dock with diving board, etc and a damn good place to drink beer and chase the only wild women I'm allowed to chase))

Aesthetics.....looking out the windows of my home I see a beautiful 5 acre pond that's holds water like a jug.

All of this is a blessing from the Great Weighmaster above))

PS I try not to think of the money I spend and only focus on the above and increase in value of land.
Crap.....I took my typical approach and read directions afterward.

1
16
9
22
24
I built (own) my bigger pond to improve my real estate investment. And the sediment pond (fathead pond) to reduce sediment in the big pond. Seams like it is one thing or another thing most all the time to keep the original investment a good investment.

And I have been a fish nut kinda guy for most all of my life. It all started on a farm I grew up on in Okla, where we had a fishing pond.

Funny things is, when I left the farm in OKla, I said I would never own another cow, pig, goat , horse, chicken etc, and I don't, I wanted the freedom one has when they don't have to take care of farm animals. But Dam, I did not realize when I built this pond it would take management most days or until I get to where I want to be with the fishes. smile
9) Swimming hole
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
1. Provide a quality fishery / occasional table food.

2. Hobby to occupy my time.

3. Hopefully enhance land value

4. To aggravate me with irritating leaks
Nice John! It's hard to say that they don't all apply.

If you make me pick one...then #2, then 1, then 3, that leaves 4 which is by protest!
A pond is like a big pile of Cocain, just can't get enough!
CANDIDATE LIST
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
1) Quality private fishery
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
The original goal was simply to increase land value since there was only a seasonal BOW. We only hoped for a livestock tank. Now, everything has changed!
1) Quality private fishery
2) To enhance land value
3) Ornamental landscaping
5) To attract wildlife for hunting
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation
8) Grow-out pond (to raise young fish for transfer)
9) Swimming hole
10) To study aquaculture
11) To study all of nature and/or biology
12) To water livestock (not yet but hopefully soon for tax exemption)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise)
17) Reduce local insect population (fish eat bugs)
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (When it overflows)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem
22) To provide safe, fresh fish as food
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends
_________________________
Here goes my list
2 enhance land value
3 ornamental landscaping
4 provide affordable and convenient water frontage real estate
6 attract wildlife for viewing
9 SWIMMING HOLE
14 to provide powered water sports -- been a jet, jet boat, skiers pulled by side by sides
15 to provide non-powered water sports
16 provide escape, peace, and relaxation
20 a personal challenge
24 A FUN PLACE TO GATHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
1.) It was a cheap source of dirt o build my house on.
2.) I love to fish so having my own private fishery was a given.
3.) For the distractions of everyday stress.
I like that Mike, especially #3.
Working with Biologists at the state level, they tend to follow guidelines set forth in a manner that is pretty basic, not to knock what they do, but I wanted a place I could mix things up and try what I was told "wouldn't work here".
Wasn't specifically for fishing, but that's a part of sampling plan.
The challenge of balance..
6. To provide a swimming hole for my sister's labrador retriever. He will swim until his legs are wobbly when he gets out.
3
6
11
21
24
1. To rid myself of excess money.

2. To learn something new.

3. To build a good fishery for myself, my friends, & my relatives.

4. Love a challenge that is never finished, no matter what.

5. Enjoy nature, except for the cormorants part.
1,16,6,20,24
It all laid in to my mind thirty-two years ago when we got this place, with a fair size ravine running down one side, and the thought of damming it. My mother's last husband (an up and down but ultimately successful oil explorer), owned ranches and also developed and sold them. Always based on running water and building lakes to enhance the value in the western Texas hill country. Finally got the pond four years ago.


CANDIDATE LIST
Going into it, given the opportunity of money and a friend with a backhoe/loader, four years ago,
my goals for a poly-lined 1/10 acre pond, 8' deep, with a recirculating 100 foot creek, cascading about twenty feet over several waterfalls, each with a mini-pond space behind it, together with some bog filters growing pretty blooming plants. Yeah right, I had little idea of what we were to discover, and the description of my goals above is really, what I got after four years. But, diving in, 2 1/3 acre lot, no HOA review approval (if you ask, it is just a water feature) and I can always ask for forgiveness. I got away with it...I'm about ready to have a neighborhood open house.
Goals:
1) Quality private fishery
19) To create and enjoy the sounds of moving water (ie; waterfall)
20) A family or personal challenge of actually building it
24) A fun place to gather with family and friends (Covering the steep sided liner of the creek, with rock, concrete and mortar, took over a year...thankfully mostly free rock...but coming to the realization that there was no way to make water holding mini-ponds using the liner and the black foam...the foam won't stick to poly...here comes the dumb tax! Covering the liner with concrete and mortar while re-building the waterfalls on that. So, gather family and friends has only just started in the last year.)
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (therapeutic or otherwise) (What a Godsend of serenity this developing pond has provided, unforeseen, especially over the last year.)

What's become apparent over four years:
16) To provide escape, peace, and relaxation (gotta repeat!)
6) To attract wildlife for viewing and/or preservation (Fawns getting their first drink, birds of all types taking a bath in the creek, various frogs showing up, coons and all sorts of critters on camera.)
21) A family or personal challenge to maintain a complex ecosystem (Yep, it's an ongoing commitment that cannot be ignored, and it needs an annual stipend for maintenance. A realization of stewardship!)
9) Swimming hole...(maybe, just took out leaves and pumped muck, but seems to have liberated a lot of dissolved mineral nutrients ("ashes" left from intense bacterial treatment) that were in the muck, to cause a big bloom. )
2) To enhance land value...(maybe!? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And would you not explain to a prospective newbie the commitment they must accept?)
23) Water source for fire fighting. (I only saw this in a post recently...an insurance discount for water supply. I could be a neighborhood resource...I have about 130,000 gallons...and the nearest fire hydrant is about a half mile away...and we're near the top of the hill.)

I tried!
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