First off I'd say you need to start clearing the banks.. In the old pics all the nice cleared banks made it look nicer and bigger.. After that you'll need to get some of that vegetation under control, then work on water quality.. But first thing is clear all your banks and open it up, you might need equipment to clear if so I'd think about cleaning it out and possibly deepening and expanding it.. You already know the potential it's just gonna take alot of elbow grease..
First off, Welcome to the forum SamAlex!!!
I agree with Bluegillerkiller above. You might want to tell us a little bit more about your your goals for it. Like, are you just interested in the looks, or do you want to manage it for fish too? That will determine what areas should be focused on first, and possibly saving you money in the process by not doing things that don't benefit your goals........Jim
Welcome to the forum! While "us" is fine for a location in your member info, narrowing it down to at least a particluar state will help us if you ask for fish recommendations. Some fish do well in places that have cold winters, some don't. Some states don't allow stocking of certain fish too.
Thanks everyone! I will be living in Ohio in an area that gets a lot of snow. Ultimately I'd like to get the pond stocked and clear. A final thing I'd like to do (which may be too expensive) is add a Gazebo with deck on one side of it. I have no idea what type of fish I'd want (any suggestions)? Could all the trees on the bank be causing the pond to have dried up some? Looking at the old picture, the pond was a lot bigger at one time.
Hi Sam!
Looks like a fun project! As previously suggested, I'd try to create as much airflow as possible to stunt the duckweed and algae growth. Then line up the wheelbarrows and get rid of the stuff by large nets and buckets. A nice sturdy boat will give you an advantage giving it a total clean-up. When the surface is cleared out I suggest putting in an aerator in to improve the water quality and restore oxygen in the deeper depths. Duckweed hates a well-oxygenated/moving water.
Before you stock, see what you got first. I'm sure you got something swimming around in there. Buy some Trout Magnets (salmon color is my personal favorite). I call it my "inventory lure". It catches anything and everything, fast. Fish think it's a little worm that fell in the water and attack it instantly without any presentation.
Do you know if you have anything swimming around in the creek? Might be a great, cheap way of adding feeder fish to the predators. Throw in a minnow trap with dog food and bread and leave it overnight and see what you got. Always identify the fish before tossing them in your pond. Keep a log to keep the numbers controlled in the beginning.
Once you get the water and surroundings in good condition, I'd stock maybe two dozen LMB, about 6". The pond looks quite small. It may handle more after aeration but if it has water level issues during dry months then I'd stock a little less to be safe. After time they'll spawn and nature will take it's course in numbers.
I have a small pond myself. This is what I did (I too have a small creek broadside to our property) and have a healthy pond.
The trees around it could be using some of the water, but probably not enough to make a drastic differenc. It could be just that this year has been drier and it has no water coming in on a regular basis. It could also be that it just has filled in with debris over the years, plus the weeds around the edges will make it look alot smaller.
Ohio with lots of snow.... Geauga county?
Could it have a leak in it somewhere? Is there a dam of any sort?
