well this winter i will be dragging some structure out onto the ice i have a 3/4 acre pond that is 5-10ft deep in the middle what should i use stake beds, brush piles??
I don't recommend using anything made of softwood, because they decay rapidly, adding to nutrients and bottom sediment. If you're going to use trees or pallets, it's best to use Oak or other hardwood, because it decays at a much slower rate.
Many people lash oak pallets together and strap cinder blocks on to sink them, which works pretty well, but if you have sediment on the bottom the cribs will sink right down into it. We sell an AquaCrib on our web site that floats from an anchor that holds it off the bottom...this prevents it from sinking into the muck.
Tree branches are ok if you can anchor them to the bottom, and if they are hardwood. I have seen people auger holes in the pond bottom and stand branches/trees upright in them. That's a great way to do it, but the pond almost needs to be empty to do it.
Other people lash tires together and sink them. Boulders piled up make great habitat, but again, it is easier to do with an empty pond, unless you do it right at the ponds edge. We arrange boulders in semi circles at the pond edge to give fathead minnows a spawning sanctuary.
Ultimately, one of the best types of habitat is native aquatic weeds. You can either encourage native weeds (find out the difference between native and invasive exotics...there are lots of sources out there) that are in your pond, or purchase some...we sell them on our web site.
I hope that helps,
Mike Robinson
Keystone Hatcheries
Another option is PVC pipe "trees", anchored with a concrete block. You can take 1" PVC, cut into six foot lengths. Then, six inches from one end, drill a half inch hole. Spin the pipe 1/4 turn, drill another half inch hole six inches down....do this to the bottom. Then, take six foot lengths of half inch PVC and push them through the holes. That makes one "tree". Then, couple several together and position them to sink into 6-8 foot waters.
Personally, I like hardwood tree limbs, too. Keep this in mind...you are trying to attract fish, both baitfish and game fish. So, you need some cover to be dense, some to be "fluffy". And, for a 3/4 pond, three to five "piles" of cover are enough. Your goal? No more than fifteen percent of the pond should have cover. And, stay away from the deepest areas. Put most cover peripherally.
I have used oak pallets in my pond but built the structure another way. With wood screws I take four pallets and make a box opened at both ends. Then tie weight to it and anchor it to the bottom. Within two weeks it is waterloged enough to sink.
IN REFERENCE TO PVC COVER-I HAVE 2.5 TO 3 ACRE POND IN EAST TX. TWO PRETTY WIDE CHANNELS APPRX. 25 TO 30 FT. WIDE COME INTO THE MAIN POND WITH PRETTY HEAVY BRUSH OVER HANGING THE BANKS-BUT NOT THE MAIN POND-THE CHANNELS ARE 4'TO 5'DEEP EXCEPT AT THE SHALLOW ENTRY POINTS - THESE CHANNELS FORM A POINT IN THE POND MAKING THE POND AN-M-SHAPE WITH THE TOP OF THE -M- BEING THE MAIN PART OF THE POND-THE DEEPEST PART IS 7.5 TO 8 FT.I HAVE SCRAP 6" PVC PIPE CUT 24" LGTH. RIVETED TOGETHER- 3 ACROSS THE BOTTOM THEN 2 THEN 1 TO FORM A PYRAMID APPROX. 18 TO 24 INCHES TALL-THEN DRILLED 1\2 HOLES WILDLY ALL UP AND DOWN AND IN DIFF.DIRECTIONS IN ALL THE PCS. OF THE PVC PIPES AND STUCK 1/2" PVC PIPE CUT TO DIFF. LENGHTS IN ALL THE HOLES OF THE PYRAMID THEN BOLTED 6"X6" HAYDITE BLOCKS TO ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE BOTTOM FOR WT. AND TO KEEP IT OF THE BOTTOM -ANY IDEAS AS HOW AND WHERE TO SINK THEM -ALSO WOULD THE SHALLOW ENDS FO THE CHANNELS BE A GOOD SPOT TO PLACE ROCK & HEAVY BRUSH (CEDAR TREES) FOR PRAY FISH COVER & ADDING CRAYFISH- THESE AREAS ARE PRETTY SHADED - I HAVE GRASS CARP SO THERE IS LITTLE COVER EXCEPT FOR THE OVERHANGING BRUSH-IN THE CHANNELS--THANKS FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS....HARVEY
CORRECTIONS FROM LAST POST---THE POND IS -U- SHAPED WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE-U-BEING THE MAIN POND----PREY FISH----OFF THE BOTTOM.PROOF READ,PROOF READ,PROOF READ.
Install cover in water less than 8 feet deep, in an area with immediate access to deeper water. YOur big bass will love it.
In the shallow, next to the deeper.
Much like everyone else we have people put hardwood pallets into there pond. This works nice during the winter. We usually create a triangular shape with three of them. You can use cedar trees as well as rocks. I have seen where on lakes they place rocks on the ice in the shape that they want and just wait for the thaw to allow the rocks to sink.
Hope taht this helps.
Jerry