Finished dam of 30 acre pond central Alabama. Good clay bottom and will be watershed filled. Now going to work on cover/structure through November at which time the pipe will be closed (hopefully for many, many years). Dam is 18' deep and perpendicular to that is a 9' deep gully down the middle that gets to 3' at the far end. Lots of 3' to 7' depths. Already have two 150 yard long, 5' deep clay shelves built about 60 feet from the bank. And will be putting a bunch of cedar trees in before filling.

Cinder Blocks
Can get a good deal on cinder blocks (seconds sold at discount) so thinking about getting a bunch of them (over 1,500). I'd like to use them to outline/contain gravel areas for bream beds. Also thought cinder blocks would be great structure areas. Make lots of piles or stacks.

So that's my plan and I'm wondering what you folks think of the cinder blocks? If the cost of them is no concern would you get them? If so how would you use them? How would you place them in the pond and where? Would you make them so that the holes in the blocks are continuous so that bait fish can swim all the way through? Or do the openings not matter? Good for keeping the bream bed gravel from washing away? Or would you not even use them at all.

Any ideas and comments would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum! I would use all I could get my hands on.

Make "rock" piles. Make "rock" outcroppings and set them in such a way that they are 2 deep along the shore as habitat for crayfish to hide in. Use them to keep gravel in place for Bluegill/Redear/Bass bedding areas.

There is a lengthy thread in the archives about placing and using different materials as cover in a pond. It would be a good read for you.

Hey Bama,

Here is what I did with some of my blocks. I have caught a few nice fish off of this and makes for a great area for BG, and minnows to spawn around or it. Only downfall to them is they love to snag hooks! But I love to throw top water over this area and just wait and hold on.... you never know what's gonna hammer it.

I love using CMU blocks for structure....I've got it all over my small pond, and it's working great. I used it to make spawning gravel beds, vertical structure, all sorts of things.

It'll never degrade (relatively speaking) and it's easy to work with.

Thanks RC51. That looks like a great idea. I'd love to be out there dragging a worm past those.

Thanks essup. Regarding the outcroppings, must of my shoreline will be 3' deep. You recommend I put them two deep right against the bank or bring them out a few feet? I like the idea of having them close to the bank--I hadn't thought of that.


"Make "rock" piles. Make "rock" outcroppings and set them in such a way that they are 2 deep along the shore as habitat for crayfish to hide in. Use them to keep gravel in place for Bluegill/Redear/Bass bedding areas."

Unless the soil is like pottery clay, the bank probably will not stay 3' deep right off the edge for long. Lining the pond 2 or 3 wide then 1 or 2 wide on top of that to make a "step" to get out of the pond in case anybody goes in might be a good idea, plus it might hold the banks in place for a longer period of time.