Technically this will be year three of me owning this pond.

In year one I did nothing except enjoy it, observe it and try to figure out where to go with the pond.

Year two, I drained the pond and restocked it. I added a bottom difuser and hand fed my newly stocked fish.

This year, I just purchased a feeder so they can actually get the amount of food they need. I have also really focused on adding structure to the pond as it was barren.

Both past years I have noticed something else that I assume will happen this year as well, but I'm not sure. I have a lot of plant growth. The shoreline is covered with arrowhead and 50% or so of the remaining water has widgeon grass growing in it. I think this eats up a lot of the nutrients in the water, which has resulted in extremely clear water.

So the problem seems to end up being FA and lots of it. I can spot treat it with chemicals, but I'm curious if there's something else I can do. Or if I should even worry about it? If I could just get rid of enough of it to fish the pond a little easier I would be happy.

I will say that when the pond was drained down, I limed it and as it filled back up the visibility was very low, but that ultimately turned right back into clear water as the plants came back.

At this point in the post I'm rambling, but I'm curious if I intentionally over feed and add some extra nutrients to the pond if that would help? Or would that just kick off the FA as well? I'll stop rambling and wait for opinions/questions.

This is also a ground water fed pond. I know that little bit of info can change things. It does have a small constant flow of water going into it from what I think is a natural spring. That only feeds the pond at about the pace of an open faucet though.

When you restocked the pond, what species did you stock, in what numbers and at what size?

What are your goals for the fishery?

Answering those questions will get you better answers to your initial question.

Panfish seem to be the project I love. There are a handful of adult BG, RES and Redbreast in the pond. I stocked 100 fingerling SMB and 30 5-6" HSB last summer. FHM were stocked (about 2000 total), crayfish, grass shrimp, bullfrog tadpoles.

The food chain is there and doing well. I have to manage the small fish population, but so far it's been going okay.

My main goal has been to make the fishing good, with emphasis on the panfish. I just want to be able to go down sit on the dock with my son and not catch the sludge carp every cast. That's what I'd like to clear up this year.

When you say sludge carp, what are you referring to?

I think he is referring to the FA aka pond scum.

How big is the pond and how much do you feed?

Cecil got it. The scum/FA.

I haven't established a feeding program yet. I plan in trying to get it to the point where the fish eat all of the food. Since this is year one with the feeder, I have no numbers

Pond is 1/4 acre by the way. I don't think I mentioned that.