Now that some of the "starting the dream" spring projects are done, (start summer projects next week) time to think about next year.

Now that fishing pond is doing well (walleye, smallmouth and catfish) and perch pond is stocked, I want to expand the forage pond to a grow out pond.

Forage pond is 60 by 20 ft. Max depth 3 ft with aeration. In order to grow out walleye, catfish

1. What should be minimum depth?

Anyother hints or articles i could read would be great

Given that you're in the same region as I am I'm assuming this is a spring to fall use pond only? I don't think a 3 ft deep pond could survive the winters we have here?

Assuming you're planning to seine it out at the end of the growing season I'd make the whole thing 3 feet, or maybe have a slight taper up to 2 feet or so.

I'd be really gun-shy about one that shallow...even with aeration I would think that O2 concentrations could be an issue at times? Someone more knowledgeable than I will likely chime in there.

Maybe TJ can chime in here. I'd say if you were seining the fish out, make it paint roller tray shaped, 8' deep in the deepest part. Drain out/pump out at least 1/2 of the pond, then seine.

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.

I've got TJ's thread on his pond bookmarked somewhere. I'll try to find it. I'm thinking my next brood/grow out pond will be piped exactly the same way as his. IIRC, Overton's uses a similar method at the hatchery.

Thanks all, still thinking some of it through. plan is to just use if spring to fall, put a couple of inches on. Probably just grow out 10 to 15 fish each season.