Pond Boss
Posted By: Bob Lusk Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/28/12 05:16 PM
Hello, and a warm welcome to the ever-growing family that is the Pond Boss Forum! Now that you're here, please take a moment introduce yourself. We'd love to learn a little about you, what brought you to Pond Boss, and how we can help you achieve your pond management goals.

Are you a pond owner, planning a pond construction project, or do you manage other ponds?

What are your pond management goals: Trophy fish, a well-balanced fishery, wildlife preservation, recreation, or something else?

Are you presently seeking help with an existing issue in your pond like clearing muddy water, managing excessive vegetation, or growing bigger fish?

These are just guidelines - feel free to share as much as you wish. Once we have this information, we can help direct your issues to the proper forum topic detailed discussion.

Please go to the "New Forum Member Introduction" room, select "New Topic" at the top left of the screen, and begin your introductory post. Again, welcome to Pond Boss Forum - we look forward to getting to know you and your pond!
Posted By: jim dodgins Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/28/12 09:22 PM
Hi my name is Jim I live in Hampshire County WV. I just closed a deal on a new pond. I know noting about ponds but the fact that they have water in them and thier pretty. I quess that I will learn alot, because I know nothing. I hope this will be a great learning experience. Thanks in advance for any help. I think we will mostly be useing the pond to attract wildlife,my wife is a photographer.Our pond will be about an acre and a half. We will introduce fish frogs and the like when suitable. My wife and I are both retired and have lived in Hampshire County for almost 40 years. Jim
Posted By: catmandoo Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/01/12 12:58 PM
Welcome Jim. I'm about 15 miles east of you, right on the state line east of Capon Bridge.

Good luck with your pond. One really good thing about Hampshire and Frederick counties is how easy it is to build great ponds. I guess you won't be digging for a few days though. It is wet. My pond is over the spillway this morning from all of yesterday's rain, and that doesn't happen very often. Come back and ask lots of questions. We'll be glad to help in anyway we can.

Ken
Posted By: Twright Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/21/12 12:08 AM
Is a permit required to build a new pond on a property in Hampshire County?
Posted By: catmandoo Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/23/12 12:08 AM
Originally Posted By: Twright
Is a permit required to build a new pond on a property in Hampshire County?


Generally a permit is not required, but there are some "what if's."

Nothing is exact. Generically, if your dam is going to hold less than 25 vertical feet of water, you don't need any permits in this county.

Send me a PM if you have other questions, and we will try to assist you as best as we can. In general, Hampshire County is a great place to build ponds. Our land doesn't perc very well due to all of the clay, which makes for great ponds. It just means that you have very poor septic tank drain fields. Hampshire County strips the clouds heading to Northern VA of much of their moisture. It fills our ponds, so our ponds stay near full-pool most of the year. The county fathers are generally in favor of having more and more ponds.

Regards,
Ken
Posted By: BobB Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/23/12 04:28 PM
Hello! My name is Bob Brocious. I am owned by a 134 acre farm in northcentral Kentucky near the town of Carrollton. It is an old tobacco, carn, cattle farm. It has owned me since 1996. I have a 1.25 acre pond that is smothered in duckweed every year. I have tried carp to see if they could stay ahead of the duckweed but ... the weed wins every time. My goal is to produce a healthy pond for swimming, fishing and garden irrigation.
My sense is this pond is 30+ years old. Cattails surround it. I believe it is 12'+ deep at its deepest point. In this drought it has gone down a good bit but is a LONG way from being dry. I think there is so much silt on the bottom that it will defeat any attempts short of draining it and cleaning it out.
I am eager to hear your suggestions and questions.
Thank you for offering this forum to help folks like myself.
Bob Brocious
Posted By: RC51 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/23/12 06:13 PM
Hey Bob welcome, I am no expert by any means I only been in this for about 4 years now. You have a set of goals that's good. I would break up your questions and put them in the particular catagory that they fall in on the forum. That way you will get more experts looking at your questions you may have and get some quicker answers. I can tell you this.

1. Be patient I have figured out nothing you do right in pond management seems to happen quick!
2. Getting that pond cleaned up for what you want it for will be a task but not one that is impossible that's for sure!
3. I know some others fellas on this site have had duck weed problems so maybe they can help with that.
4. Grass Carp if that's what your talking about I don't really think DW is on the top of their list for eating?

Have you ever considered making the pond bigger? If you did you could drain the old side into the new part and then work on old side. If you had the money of course. If not scratch that whole question smile

Good Luck Bob and keep us posted as to how it goes.
Posted By: Matt L. Thiesen Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/13 09:08 PM
Hey Pond Boss community! I am new to the company and to the forum. I am looking forward to learning the forum as well as sharing experiences, comments, and questions regarding ponds and lakes.
Posted By: Omaha Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/13 09:28 PM
Originally Posted By: Matt L. Thiesen
Hey Pond Boss community! I am new to the company and to the forum. I am looking forward to learning the forum as well as sharing experiences, comments, and questions regarding ponds and lakes.


Welcome Matt! Go ahead and start a thread to formally introduce yourself and your projects. We'd love to hear about them.
Posted By: jludwig Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/13 09:29 PM
Glad to have you on board Matt!
Posted By: fisheater Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/13/13 03:34 AM
hi my name is byron and i live in the columbia sc area. i am looking for helpful info on buiding a new pond from scratch. it will probably be just under one acre. i want to raise fish to eat and also set up a duck habitat. i wont require a dam and will just be digging a hole with spill way. what are some things i may want to consider as it relates to depths habitat species etc...thanks
Posted By: taz1313 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 04:04 PM
Howdy, Friends and Neighbors,
I just found out about this forum and can't wait to glean a few pearls of wisdom from you wise folk.
To start with I live in NW Georgia and grew up fishing in ponds and cricks. To me there is no source of peace and solitude that can be found any where that matches what one finds around small ponds. No yahoos on skis, towed or self propelled, and no "Hats turned back 90 m.p.h every where they go so called PRO's". Never could figg'r out how to catch a fish moving that fast. The closest lake to me was / is Alatoona, and as far as I knew then, was where we went IF we wanted to just ride around in a boat all week end. Back then it was called "The Dead Sea", if that tells ya'll what the fish'n was like. Some say that it's better now, but you still can't grind me up, mix me with beer, and pour me on fishing a place like that. So needless to say I love me some pond fish'n.
The main pond that I grew up on was our family pond and is 2.5 acres and from 2'-8' deep, run off fed and built in the early 50's. It had all of your basic fun for a kid to catch fish, bream, small LM bass, channel cats, and brown bull heads. From 1983 till a few years ago I did some traveling, working for "Our Uncle", and didn't get in much fis'n at all. When I returned home for good all I could think of sit'n on the side of that pond sip'n some thing cool, and drowing some bait. But, during my absence absolutely no one did any thing but cut the grass around it. The bream were in the three finger range, and you could catch the 10"-12" bass by the bucketful on chicken liver. And all of the cats, and bull heads were gone, nada, non existent.
Luckily for all concerned a friend of mine down the street had just dug out and fixed his Grand Pa's old pond so that his Grand Kids could have a little place to learn to fish. He had no fish and I had too many as far as bream and bass were concerned. I've spent the last two years "transfering" the small ones that I caught into his pond and a few larger ones from other sources and blood lines into mine. The transformation has been tremendous! I've got hand size and up bream, 1/2-1 lb. shellcrackers, some nice red bellys and the bass are growing and have even started bedding again. I've been able to put a few channel cats in from 10" to several pounds. And I added 10 lbs. of fathead minnows for forage.
My big problem, that I hope ya'll can help with. is that I can't find any brown bull heads around here any where. When I was a kid, if you had a mud hole that held water for more than two weeks you had "specks" in it. They have vertually disapeared around here with no explanation that I can find. Now I know that in other parts of this country, they are trash fish good for nothing but stealing bait. But some of my best memories as a child was the fact that no matter you're age or fishability, with just about any bait, you could have a ball with them, and they taste pretty good too. I've only found one hatchery, in Arkansas that will even admit to handling them, and they don't have a truck that comes any where close to Ga. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
I'm very glad that I found Ya'll, tight lines,
Taz
Posted By: Bluegillerkiller Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 04:18 PM
Contact Greg Grimes he can help you.. In the mean time there's alot better fish to stock that are fun for kids to catch and not as bad as the BH..
Posted By: taz1313 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 04:42 PM
Yeah, Greg is on my list to contact. I heard about him on GON forum at the same time I found about this forum. And as far as how bad BH's are, well I may be one of the few that have fond memories of them, but I do, and would love to find them some where. Thanks.
Posted By: sprkplug Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 09:03 PM
I remember fishing for Bullheads in the creek than ran through the neighbors pasture as a boy. Nearly every day in the summertime, grab a rod, tackle box, and my Border Collie and have at it..... and I think they're pretty tasty also.

I wonder if 10 year olds still do that kind of thing......
Posted By: taz1313 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 09:40 PM
Hey Sprkplug,
If I have any thing to say about it, they will, around here at least. I don't have any of my own, that I know of. Spent too much time lurking around foreign places. But, I do have plenty of young'ns around the family and friends who I would love to see hang'n around a pond instead of a comp., I-pad, or what ever it is that keeps their attention now a days. I know that to most folks BH's are nothing but bad news, and I'm fine with that. But there are a fleeting few that hold them in high esteem, if just for the memories that they hold. My pond is on it's way to being a great little pond for kids of all ages, my self included, with pan fish for the little ones, up to larger cats and LMB's for the more advanced. The one thing missing, IMO, is that middle fish that's easy enough to catch but puts up one heck of a fight on small tackle. Those little rascals have just gone extinct in this area, with no reason that I can find, but I've been hunt'n hard to find all of my adult life.
Posted By: sprkplug Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 10:33 PM
Lots of good memories that revolve around creek fishin' for Bullheads.......except we weren't refined enough to call em' that back then.....they were yellow bellies.
Posted By: Bluegillerkiller Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 11:58 PM
Don't get me wrong I spent my whole childhood life in the creek and ponds of bond county IL catching bullheads.. I've just learned with age theres alot better things to catch and stock too a pond..
Posted By: taz1313 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/10/13 11:58 PM
We called'm specks here, I didn't find out the real name until just this year and it took a lot of digg'n on the computer to do it, in case you haven't figured out, I'm extremely new to all of this media stuff. Heck, the powers that be only allow me a few forums, and I have to have them checked out first, by my "Uncle", not parents. LOL!
Posted By: Bluegillerkiller Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/11/13 12:07 AM
You found the best forum on the web man.., helpful nice guys here I'm a member on prolly 12-15 forums and this is bar none the best group of people with the quickest best answers..
Posted By: taz1313 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/11/13 12:29 AM
Yeah BK,
I'm finding that out fairly quick. From what little lurking I've done so far, it sounds like I've found a home here. Thanks for the info so far, and I didn't take it as bad that you didn't like the little brown fellas, I know that they can be the "Devil Spawn" in most places. Just gotta prick that blister, if you know what I mean.
Posted By: catmandoo Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/11/13 01:28 AM
Be careful what you wish for when it comes to bullheads.

Here is a link to a Pond Boss Bullhead adventure we had about 14-15 months ago.

Pond Boss Bullhead Roundup at Sunil's

It changed my perspective on bullheads. We had a blast! The bullheads were delicious.

In any case, welcome to Pond Boss. It is a fun place to learn about ponds, fish, and many other subjects that may or may not be related to reality.

Ken
Posted By: taz1313 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/11/13 02:34 AM
Hey Ken,
Thanks for the warm welcome and great read, vids, and pics. THAT's what I'm talk'n about. Granted with enough friends, beer, ammo, and dinosaurs a large time can be had by most any one. But toss in a pond full of those little brownies and some grease to release them in and any one can have a blast. Looks like Ya'll had a boat full of fun, I just wish that I had a place like that close enough to get to on less than a tank or two of gas. Thanks again, and I'm sure that I'll enjoy talk'n to all of the fine folks on here.
Posted By: Ottis Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/06/13 05:26 PM
Just found the forum today.
I live in North Georgia and bought a place about three years ago that has about a 1/2 acre pond. The previous owner had lived there for 20 years and said she never really did much with it. I am hoping to gain information on the forum that will help me produce and maintain a healthy and fun fishing hole.
Thanks in advanced for any support!
Questions to follow.......
Posted By: Omaha Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/06/13 05:27 PM
Welcome Ottis! Jump right in and start asking questions! And post pictures!
Posted By: Rick in Winters Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/03/13 10:09 PM
Greetings, my name is Rick and I live just outside of Winters, CA on an old walnut ranch. I have been here for 20 years. About 15 years ago I enlarged a small seasonal pond on my property. It is now about 7' deep and about 1/4 acre. I have never had anything in it but Gambusia. I usually let it dry out when the pond weeds get too bad. But now my little boy, 9 years old, has gone nuts for fishing. I have thrown some blue gill and smb in there over the last couple years and they survived until the pond was drained for cleaning. Now I would like to get a permanent population. Our local fish are BG, smb, lmb and the Sacramento perch minnow (squaw fish). So I just cleaned the pond this spring and mosquito abatement threw in some type of very aggressive Gambusia that is about 30% larger than previous populations. I am now reading that people are calling Gambusia "damnbusia" and that they do more harm than good and that BG will keep the mosquitos down just as well. I want to get a population of BG and/or bass that my boy can fish. I will drain the pond it I have to but prefer not. Can I just keep adding DB and SMB and LMB that we catch or will the Gambusia overpopulation stop their reproduction? Right now there are only 4 BG and 4 smb and 1 lmb in there, all under 6 inches and about a gazillion Gambusia. I mean the Gambusia attack me when I get in the pond. Anyhow, that is why I am here. Oh, the pond is well fed all summer and runoff fed in the winter. I have no power out there, no aeration or pumps, etc. Bottom is mud, willows and oaks grow around it and cattails, etc., grow in it. There are no features on the bottom no rubble or anything else. There were hundreds of tree frogs but I think the Gambusia ate all the tadpoles this time. Thanks, Rick
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/03/13 10:22 PM
Welcome!

Throw a few more predators in there (LMB,SMB) and the Gams will be whittled down - they'll eat them. No need to remove the Gams.
Posted By: JKB Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/03/13 11:51 PM
Skeeter abatement? Gub agency?
Posted By: the stick Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/04/13 12:56 AM
JKB, Don't make me drive to Michigan to straighten you out!
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/04/13 01:17 AM
esshup is right . Don't worry about the gams just go ahead and stock over them.
Posted By: Rick in Winters Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/04/13 03:34 AM
That is good news. OK, we will keep throwing in the BG and the SMB and the occasional LMB, etc. I will let you know how it goes. Looking forward to being a member of the group.

Rick in Winters, CA
Posted By: USMC4Life Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/07/13 01:43 PM
My name is Daren and I'm currently beginning construction on my ~2.6 acre pond in SE Georgia. I have a very reputable contractor doing the work and it should look amazing as I've seen some of his past digs. The pond will sit on a 5 acre plot and my house will be built with the entire back and side yard having a gorgeous view. I've been following Pond Boss for a while and it's been quite helpful. I look forward to commenting and contributing. Also-- I started a thread titled "New Pond Construction in SE Georgia" that has pictures attached. I would love hearing what you all think. I plan on tracking the progress from day 1 all the way until the house and pole barn are completed 5-6 years from now!

-Daren
Posted By: mpc Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/07/13 03:25 PM
Hi Darren and welcome to PB. !st thanks much for your service and we pray for all of you every day. May everyone come home safe.
Good luck on your pond and hope you can post progress pictures. Lots of great info,knowledge,and experience here on PB.
I will say in advance thanks for sharing your build with us and the pro's here will guide you in ways that will save you, frustration, harder than needed work, from fish kills and better weed control etc.,at a lower expense than just hit and miss or try it and see.
Posted By: USMC4Life Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/07/13 04:19 PM
Thanks MPC, I appreciate it. I've seen a lot of valuable information on here and am really looking forward to learning more! I'll most definitely keep pictures posted throughout the duration of my build.
Posted By: SetterGuy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/30/13 11:30 AM
New guy here.. I've wanted a place with a pond for thirty years, I'm finally getting a bit closer. Spent a bit of time navigating around this site, but I'm sure I have just scratched the surface.
I've just purchased 40+ acres in Northeast Missouri. The land sits pretty close to Mark Twain Lake. It's mostly wooded, mature trees, but has about 15 acres in crops.
We've identified two or possibly three spots for ponds, but that's just my guess, which is worth zero.
I'll be trying to find a really reliable individual/company that can help me determine if a pond is possible on the sites, I think might work. All are deep in the woods at this point, and are where the water is draining off through the property now.
I know there must be a million rules and regs about how and where to build.
I'm hoping for no rock, and the right amount of drainage to fill it and keep it that way.
The ultimate goal is about a 5 acre pond, with a house to overlook it some day. While keeping the old trees surrounding everything.. I'm sure I'll have a million questions, and I'll do my best to search first before hand.
My first step will be to meet with the water specialist at the Missouri Dept of Conservation, and have him look over the land, and pick his brain a bit..
Then, if all goes well, I need to find someone in Northeast Missouri that really knows how to build a pond in the woods..
Jeff
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/31/13 02:19 AM
Welcome!

Before getting the dept of conservation involved, talk to the guys at your county NRCS office.

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/mo/
Posted By: JamesBryan Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/31/13 09:58 AM
@ Setterguy.

Welcome to Pond Boss. I have words of caution for you, when it comes to dealing with the MDC. Tread lightly. When the MDC becomes involved, your pond may become "State Waters". In the back of the wildlife code book,(the small thick booklet you may receive when getting a hunting/fishing license) there is a list of definitions. Read the definition for "State Waters".

After taxpayer monies become involved, your pond will become defined as "state waters". The officials will tell you that they will not regulate your pond persay. In my non-legal professional opinion, it at the moment is merely an un enforced law for the time being. Someday, it may become enforced. I'm not telling you what to do, but am trying to keep you from having any surprises!
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/31/13 10:30 AM
Welcome to PB posting SetterGuy. JamesBryam may not be a lawyer ( non-legal professional opinion) but he has given excellent advice. I am and can safely concur in his thought and the warning about surprises.

For advice on ponds from many states see this list of state mgt books from the archives but better yet read and search on the Forum.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=113216#Post113216
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/31/13 10:45 AM
ewest and James, would he have the same concerns if the NRCS were to be involved instead of the MDC?
Posted By: JamesBryan Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/31/13 11:03 AM
Esshup, I can only assume that if money, and physical action is actually spent, that yes there would be some "ties that bind". I have noticed on googleearth, that there are many bodies of water, (in my area at least) When scrolling these bodies of water(including ponds) have a name that appears over them. While others, such as mine, which have not been built with tax dollars involved, have no name.

I am very uneasy of government involvement.

The laws are not written for the common man to be able to find and read, nor are they meant for the common man to interpret.

Many years ago, when a large amount of land went through the Federal Land Bank, the mineral rights were retained. Thus many people today, buy property, without knowing, the entity that owns the mineral rights have the legal power to start a gravel quarry in the back yard.

It gets pretty thick.
Posted By: JamesBryan Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/31/13 11:25 AM
Taken from the website of MDC WILDLIFE CODE. Chapter 20

http://www.sos.mo.gov/adrules/csr/current/3csr/3c10-20.pdf

(58) Waters of the state: All rivers, streams,
lakes, and other bodies of surface water lying
within or forming a part of the boundaries of
the state which are not entirely confined and
located completely upon lands owned or
leased by a single person or by two (2) or
more persons jointly or as tenants in common
or by corporate shareholders, and including
waters of the United States lying within the
state. Waters of the state will include any
waters which have been stocked by the state
or which are subject to movement of fishes to
and from waters of the state.
Posted By: SetterGuy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/02/13 12:40 PM
Esshup,
I checked out the site. However, because I'm "unfortunately" so uninformed, and new to all of this, I'm not sure what or where I'm supposed to get from theUSDA/NRCS site..
Any additional guidance would be appreciated..
Also, why USDA before the Mo Dept of Cons? Just curious.

Thanks
Jeff
Posted By: SetterGuy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/02/13 12:43 PM
Originally Posted By: JamesBryan
@ Setterguy.

Welcome to Pond Boss. I have words of caution for you, when it comes to dealing with the MDC. Tread lightly. When the MDC becomes involved, your pond may become "State Waters". In the back of the wildlife code book,(the small thick booklet you may receive when getting a hunting/fishing license) there is a list of definitions. Read the definition for "State Waters".

After taxpayer monies become involved, your pond will become defined as "state waters". The officials will tell you that they will not regulate your pond persay. In my non-legal professional opinion, it at the moment is merely an un enforced law for the time being. Someday, it may become enforced. I'm not telling you what to do, but am trying to keep you from having any surprises!


Wow, thanks! I had heard of that before, and when/if it comes to that. I'll not accept the funds.. It'll be hard enough to keep others out, without the state promoting its a public lake. Whew..
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/02/13 06:23 PM
SetterGuy:

On the NRCS website, find the office that is in your county. Call them or go in to visit. They can tell you if your pond area will have enough watershed to keep it full, whether the soil is good, marginal or bad for retaining water, and other things. You are paying for them now through your tax dollars. They should also be able to tell you what size primary and secondary overflow you'll need, and give you a list of "pond builders" in your area. The key with that list is to ask them "If you were to call people on the list for quotes, who would the first 3 or 5 be that you'd call?"
Posted By: SetterGuy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/03/13 09:24 AM
Originally Posted By: esshup
SetterGuy:

On the NRCS website, find the office that is in your county. Call them or go in to visit. They can tell you if your pond area will have enough watershed to keep it full, whether the soil is good, marginal or bad for retaining water, and other things. You are paying for them now through your tax dollars. They should also be able to tell you what size primary and secondary overflow you'll need, and give you a list of "pond builders" in your area. The key with that list is to ask them "If you were to call people on the list for quotes, who would the first 3 or 5 be that you'd call?"


Perfect! This is exactly what I need.
Thank you!
Posted By: WhenBassAttack Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/19/14 12:54 AM
My name is Ray, I'm a fisheries biologist for a pond management company in TX. Just joined to see what kind of questions I can help with and maybe even learn a thing or two. 8+ years experience working in MS and TX. Any questions, just ask. Thanks....
Posted By: MarkGG Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/21/14 05:52 PM
Hi all, Mark here from Northeast Ohio. We own 76 acres of woodland East of Canton, and I am considering a (approx.) 2 acre pond on the property. We've got plenty of watershed and shouldn't have too much trouble with soil type (property used to be a clay mine).

Anyway, just wanted to say hey, and I look forward to learning all I can.
Posted By: Sunil Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/23/14 09:16 PM
Welcome, All!!
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/23/14 09:56 PM
Welcome Ray and Mark. John here but go by snrub.

Wish I had found PBF before I built my main pond Mark. Did find it shortly after it was built though and glad I did. You can learn a lot of valuable stuff on here and hopefully avoid some disappointing mistakes because of it while building and stocking your own new pond.

Ray I'm sure your comments and opinions will be appreciated and be a valuable addition.
Posted By: WV-PA Wild Trout Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/17/14 11:27 AM
Hi, my name is Jeremy and I am previously a Fisheries Biologist with a background in management of small impoundments, small trout streams and commercial fisheries. Now I deal with groundwater and the Marcellus gas drilling in Central Appalachia. I live on 50 wooded acres in NC WV with a 1/3 acre cold/coolwater pond in which I raise Rainbow and Brown Trout. I also own 3/4 mile of trout stream which I manage with supplemental Brown and Rainbow trout fingerlings due to limited natural reproduction and also the implementation of in-stream habitat improvement devices such as jack-dams and wing deflectors. I hope to contribute my knowledge of fisheries to the forum and also learn anything I can from others.
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/17/14 01:27 PM
Welcome - your knowledge and experience will be very useful here. Consider writing about some of your pond experiences for Pond Boss magazine. The editor is always looking for pond related articles. Check out the contents and indexes of back issues of the magazine.

Several years ago there were regular articles by Mike Mitchell (High Country Waters) about cool water fisheries from Colorado. One particular article that will interest you is where he described feeding pellets and growing huge trout in stream management habitats.
Nov-Dec 2006 Issue. TO FEED OR NOT TO FEED? Mitchell presents solid evidence about how feeding fish can enhance free roaming fish populations. He discusses standing crops, quality of the ration, diet requirements, pellet sizes, frequency of feedings, nutritional efficiency, and how supplemental feeding enhances the food chain of stream habitats.


2006 Issue Contents
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92481#Post92481

Forum Archives for contents of all back issues of PBoss magazines.
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=22&page=1

Posted By: catmandoo Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/17/14 01:42 PM
Originally Posted By: WV-PA Wild Trout
Hi, my name is Jeremy and I am previously a Fisheries Biologist with a background in management of small impoundments, small trout streams and commercial fisheries. Now I deal with groundwater and the Marcellus gas drilling in Central Appalachia. I live on 50 wooded acres in NC WV with a 1/3 acre cold/coolwater pond in which I raise Rainbow and Brown Trout. I also own 3/4 mile of trout stream which I manage with supplemental Brown and Rainbow trout fingerlings due to limited natural reproduction and also the implementation of in-stream habitat improvement devices such as jack-dams and wing deflectors. I hope to contribute my knowledge of fisheries to the forum and also learn anything I can from others.


Jeremy,

Let me also welcome you to Pond Boss, but also as a neighbor, and as the vice president of the WV Aquaculture Association. I'm way over on the other side of the state in Hampshire County, although I was on your side of the state yesterday, bringing my granddaughter back to school at Fairmont.

It is great to have another experienced fisheries biologist on the forum, especially one with your type of background. We look forward to hearing from you regularly.

Ken
Posted By: Sunil Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/17/14 06:22 PM
Welcome, Jeremy!

We can only abuse our current WV members with Deliverance and Redneck jokes for so long, thus we need new blood!!!
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/17/14 07:35 PM
Welcome guys !
Posted By: PondNewb Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/18/14 07:51 PM
Hi, my name is Roland I live in westen NC amongst some of the most beautiful moutains and waterways NC has to offer.

VERY new with Pond management and have my hands FULL. I posted a thread about my pond and its condition.

I came across this page while doing some online research about pond repair/restoration. And I immediately knew I found the right spot just by browsing for an hour on here.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/18/14 09:06 PM
Welcome aboard !
Posted By: AbassMan83 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/17/14 05:12 AM
Hello fellow anglers,
I somehow stumbled onto this site looking for information into building ponds on a google search. My father and I just recently purchased 100 acres down in Macon County, AL. This is our first property adventure, and we are both very excited to manage and grow a beautiful habitat for wildlife. On this hundred acres is about a 3/4 ac. pond that we would love to expand from anywhere to 2-6 acres. We know a lot about fishing, just not how to build a pond and properly manage it. Looking for any advice and information I can find to be more educated and knowledgable before we take on the task of expanding the pond. Here's to learning and talking about the beautiful outdoors!

Cheers!
Posted By: Agull240 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/23/14 06:38 AM
Im excited to get info from everyone here to help with my pond as well as giving any feedback from my project that can help.
Posted By: Chris Lawson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/23/14 04:04 PM
Good afternoon all my name is Chris frm central va just bought a home with a new 3/4 acre pond I'm looking forward to learning from you guys on here and to introduce myself I stocked the pond with LMB, CNB,RES,AND CC so far so good with the fish but i definitely need to do something with one side of pond due to bare bank im getting alot of sediment in where the main runoff is
Posted By: Sunil Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/23/14 10:27 PM
Abassman83, Agull240, and Chris, welcome to Pond Boss!
Posted By: Beaux Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/08/14 08:57 AM
Hello everyone, I'm so happy to be part of this forum. There is a major abundance of knowledge here.. I have been reading threads on here for some time now. I just purchased 14 acres of land and we will be constructing her dream home and my dream pond wink So, I decided to join up as I know I will have lots of questions coming soon

Happy fishing
Posted By: TGW1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/23/14 05:30 PM
Hay there to the Pond Boss guys and girls. To introduce myself I would like to say I have been a fisherman and pond swimmer all my life, woop's, no pond swimming here in La because of the big lizards that hang around. But I did swim those ponds in Okla when growing up. I have been a fisherman for mostly Bass but enjoy anything that will pull my string. I bought some land a few yr's ago and havespent most of my time food plotting for the deer. I am just about where I want to be with that so I started my pond this week. I started out by clearing 6.2 acres and presently have back hoe's and dozers working as I type this. I am not sure what the true size it will be but I am trying to use all of the area I can for the pond. Will be using run off water to fill if I ever get out of the drought my property is going through rite now. I would like to make this a bass lake but just not made the decision on where I want to take it "Trophy" or just a good bass lake. hoping I might be swayed one way or another through what I can learn from here. Ha, the more I read the more I am confused lol
Posted By: RC51 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/23/14 06:56 PM
TG welcome to the PBF! At 6 acres you can have both good bass and trophy bass! Bass need room to grow and you got plenty in 6 acres! Read up on here and ask some of the folks here how to plan!

Everything from habitat to forage and maybe even air one day you can find here and guys can help you with!

Show us some pics of that pond when you get time!

RC
Posted By: 10x Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 01:48 PM
New to the forum and just put in a new pond so looking for advise and direction. I have a tiny little pond (spring fed 30 foot diameter - 5 ft deep)for 25 years that has allowed my kids to catch bass and the dogs to swim. I just recently put in one just shy of an acre and when filled would be 14 feet in the deepest region (also having a couple of springs feeding it). Having lost my son a few years back, I now have a little grandson and want him to have a paradise to fish, canoe, ice skate, and swim.

What I have noticed in my readings so far on the forum is that most of you are located in the south or at least warm regions. I am in the Finger Lakes of NY and we have already had frost a couple of nights. Definitely things are different for me here but if someone could point me in the right direction for some help on getting this pond off on the right foot it would be appreciated. I am sure there are many questions to get to that answer so I will look around to see where to post the question and get started.

Anyway, I have already learned an unbelievable amount in about 3 days of looking around the forum. Starting to make some artificial structure from what I already learned here.

Dan
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 02:19 PM
10X - There are a lot of members here north of the Mason Dixon line in winter snow & ice states of PA, NY, WVA, OH, MI, IN, IL, IA, KS, WI, MN and several members from Canada. Northern ponds and spring fed ponds allow one to think about using alternative BG-LMB fish such as yellow perch, smallmouth, walleye, pumpkinseed sunfish, chain pickerel, pike, and in certain situations trout. Numerous members have these cool water fish in northern 'warm water' ponds. Your 30ft dia spring fed pond is a candidate for trout either annual or seasonal grow out.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 03:01 PM
Bill is right - lots of northern ponds covered here. The mag even has a column specifically on Northern ponds every issue. In addition Bob Lusk managed several large NY lakes for several years and set up their fisheries program. Welcome.
Posted By: liquidsquid Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 04:57 PM
10X, I am in the finger lakes region also, there are a few of here in this area. I live near Canandaigua, NY, and am a short drive to Honeoye and Canadice lakes. Fire away on the questions, but a lot here applies to all ponds, not just those down south.
Posted By: 10x Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 07:25 PM
Located just outside Watkins Glen so not that far from you liquidsquid.

Thanks for the warm greeting from all of you. Where would you recommend I start a post for my specific pond help?

So much information to absorb here.

Dan
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 08:03 PM
Originally Posted By: 10x
Located just outside Watkins Glen so not that far from you liquidsquid.

Thanks for the warm greeting from all of you. Where would you recommend I start a post for my specific pond help?

So much information to absorb here.

Dan


Welcome to the forum!

Where to post depends on the question. wink

While most posts will get answered eventually, a question about aeration will usually be answered quicker if it's in the aeration section, etc. It's easier to break up multiple queestions about multiple things into the different topics.

"setting off on the right foot" could be anything from aeration to soil, and the answers all depend on the goals that you have for your pond. For instance, if a person wants help with stocking a pond, the advice will be completely different if they want a trophy bass pond or a trophy bluegill pond.
Posted By: 10x Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 09:15 PM
Fair enough - here is a brief overview of what I need help with:

I want the new pond to be a place to ice skate in the winter (really no planning here), canoe or kayak (again no planning), swimming (maybe some planning), but mostly for a good bass fishing pond mixed with some nice bluegill.

It is currently filling with water and has a long way to go. I know I will want to place structure in it and I am making an assortment now. Where to place structure is a question.

I also like to stock it by catching from other places I fish when the season is open (has worked very well for the little pond) but I realize I need food established first so another big question is how to go about this in the best way.

Thanks again!
Dan
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/21/14 11:53 PM
Originally Posted By: 10x
Fair enough - here is a brief overview of what I need help with:

I want the new pond to be a place to ice skate in the winter (really no planning here), canoe or kayak (again no planning), swimming (maybe some planning), but mostly for a good bass fishing pond mixed with some nice bluegill.

Aeration forum (either of them) and Types of fish to choose.

It is currently filling with water and has a long way to go. I know I will want to place structure in it and I am making an assortment now. Where to place structure is a question.

Creating Habitat

I also like to stock it by catching from other places I fish when the season is open (has worked very well for the little pond) but I realize I need food established first so another big question is how to go about this in the best way.

Types of fish to choose and Creating the food chain.
Thanks again!
Dan


As a preamble, stocking that 1 ac pond like you stocked the small pond probably won't work as well as you'd like it to, or it will take so much of your time that you wouldn't want to do it that way once you find out the amount of fish you really, really need to stock. There are other reasons, but those can be explained in the appropriate thread. wink
Posted By: liquidsquid Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/23/14 03:25 PM
Check out Finger Lakes AquaCulture near us, it should be a relatively short drive for you. Buy up a bunch of shiners and/or fat head minnows for this year, and get them in ASAP before temps get below 50F in the water. We have a few late fall warm temps coming, so now may not be so bad of a time.
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/23/14 07:43 PM
Starting off with a several adult fish that spawn unhindered in a pond can easily cause the pond to be overpopulated soon after stocking. Survival rate from the first one or two spawns is usually dependent on existing adult density. An initial overpopulation is often hard to correct from an unbalanced adult spawner community. Adding proper numbers for a standard balance in the beginning is well worth a little extra money to do it correctly the first time.
Posted By: 10x Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/23/14 10:58 PM
Originally Posted By: Bill Cody
Starting off with a several adult fish that spawn unhindered in a pond can easily cause the pond to be overpopulated soon after stocking. Survival rate from the first one or two spawns is usually dependent on existing adult density. An initial overpopulation is often hard to correct from an unbalanced adult spawner community. Adding proper numbers for a standard balance in the beginning is well worth a little extra money to do it correctly the first time.


Bill - how does one know what those proper numbers are? I am all for doing this right the first time but don't know what the right way is.

Thanks,
Dan
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/24/14 01:10 AM
Proper numbers will depend on one's goals. There is lots of info here about proper stocking densities which do vary based on location of north vs south. Goals, species of fish and size of fish stocked also play roles. First one should decide on what fishes are desired while also being compatible in the fishery and then numbers can be established. For the very best fishery to be established, it is always best to first establish a strong forage fish community so the stocked sport fish will grow the fastest to achieve the goals. A strong forage fish base will result in producing larger, trophy class fish twice as fast. Typically predators will need 8 to 10 lbs of forage fish present for each predator stocked so food does not limit the initial growth of the predators.

What I suggest that you do is start your own pond stocking thread with size and configuration of your pond, your goals, initial plans, and progress so far. Then members will provide input for your project and a final plan developed. The thread can be updated with your progress and fish monitoring results to evaluate your success /progress over time.

As an example of what is possible with proper stocking plan:

Originally Posted By: Bill Cody
If 4"-5" SMB are stocked in April with a pond full of food (minnows & crayfish), then yes I have seen the stockers grow to 10.5"-12" maybe a few 13" by end of first summer (1mm/day) in TN with warmer water in October.

Reply from YolkSac: This is basically exactly what I've observed. Growth rates in the first couple of years in a new pond can be really stellar.
The SMB recruits will start preying on YOY of everything else immediately. We've had really wierd weather this year, I had what seems like a very late, very heavy SMB spawn this year and have schools of 2-3" SMB all over right now. They're incredibly aggressive--woe be to any late hatching BG. This is the latest in the season by far that I've seen such numbers of yoy SMB.
Cody Note: My only concern is smallmouth with BG which I think is a big mistake causing excess manual management and BG overpopulation. Smallie and BG are IMO a no no. Several others will concur. There are much better panfish to use with SMB rather than BG.
Posted By: Bill D. Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/26/14 12:58 AM
Bill,

I am in the process of stocking my pond too. How do I start my own thread?
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/26/14 01:12 AM
Bill D. In the top tool bar row area click on Forum List. Scan through the list for an appropriate topic such as STOCKING A NEW POND: Types of Fish to Choose - click it. Then in the top row that also has page numbers (right side) there will be a New Topic button (left side); click it. It will give you a page to write in a subject title and your question etc. In the first post include your pond background including size depth, location, goals etc. This thread can then serve as your pond history. You can always return to this thread to post updates and more questions about various management concerns and problems.
Posted By: Ryan Johnston Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/24/15 05:49 PM
Hi all, my name is Ryan Johnston. I'm a student at South Dakota State University. I just went to my first pond boss meeting this past weekend. If you were there you may have met me, but you probably saw me around. It was an awesome experience and I feel like it really broadened my horizons, and gave me some good ideas for pond management. Seeing the more applied side of fish management was awesome. Hopefully I can help people on the forum learn a little more about fish management and generate some good thoughts on new fish management techniques. Presently, I am doing research on fish habitat usage, as well as helping manage a couple of ponds here in South Dakota to hopefully grow some trophy bass.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/24/15 06:02 PM
Welcome Ryan and so glad you could come to PB VI.

We all look forward to your contribution to this Forum.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/25/15 12:18 AM
Ryan, your talk was very informative. Please keep us updated on how well the structure is working with the LMB to try and reduce their movements and concentrate them in smaller "home" areas.
Posted By: DanL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 02:18 AM
Hi there, fellow pond people!

My name is Dan and I am about to close on a property in southern Alabama that has an old, 3/4-acre pond and a newer, 2.5-acre pond on it. They are both on the same tiny creek. The old pond is 400 ft upstream and 50 ft higher than the new one. There are 2 active beaver dams on the creek between them. I plan on managing them for LMB and BG fishing and for the grandkids to swim in, too. I've already seen LMB in the larger one, but I've no idea how many or what else is in there.

The little one is in rough shape from silting and vegetation, but the larger one looks pretty good:
http://s2.postimg.org/gh9p5bb3d/lake_house_06.jpg
http://s2.postimg.org/bp9j4qc4p/lake_house_04.jpg

One arm of the big pond is quite shallow:
http://s3.postimg.org/83lly5u6r/DSC_0022_1.jpg

I've been reading Pond Boss forums for a week, now, and found them a wonderful source of knowledge and experience. I'm looking forward to everyone's comments and advice as I begin my experience as a pond owner.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 02:45 AM
Welcome to the family, ask lots of questions and send lots of pictures. Lots of variety here


Pat
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 03:55 AM
Welcome Dan.

Nice looking water holes.
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 05:30 AM
Welcome aboard, DanL!

Have you done any analysis yet on the water? Alkalinity? pH? That's what was first recommended to me when I bought my land and is the usual advice given by the experts (of which I'm not).
Posted By: DanL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 05:59 AM
Nothing done yet, Anthropic. I just learned today that the seller and I have agreed on a price. I'm on fire to get started, but I suppose I should wait until I actually own the place.
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 08:05 PM
I know exactly how you feel, DanL! Took me six years of searching before I found the right place. Congratulations! laugh
Posted By: DanL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 08:34 PM
Originally Posted By: anthropic
Took me six years of searching before I found the right place.
Heard that. I've looked at a lot of mud holes before finding this place.

Originally Posted By: anthropic
Congratulations! laugh
Thanks!
Posted By: Mike Otto Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/05/15 09:45 PM
It is getting harder and harder to find property with water on it. Good job
Posted By: DanL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/06/15 02:16 AM
Originally Posted By: Mike Otto
It is getting harder and harder to find property with water on it.
Truth.

I am still kicking myself for walking away (over a measly five thousand bucks) from a property with a beautiful 4-acre, spring fed pond several years ago. I thought I could find one just as good, cheaper. Hah!

I like the one I'm buying, but it's smaller and will cost more. Still, I feel lucky to have found it. As you say, good water property is scarce.
Posted By: duckfarm mainten Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/11/15 04:15 AM
Hello, Im new to this forum stuff.I work on a farm of sorts. We raise and breed ducks. OK. So.... we have a pond thatsabout 400 feet downhill from the one that we use to raise the ducks on. Now we need to pump the water up hill,so it will circulate through the pns n return to the large pond. So i need to find a pump to do this. Its not a steep incline but its far. any advice? im sure i will have many more questions. Thanks in advance.
Posted By: tcsteelhead Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/10/15 11:14 PM
Hello from Michigan, been lurking for a while but a full day of rain has encouraged me to join the addiction. I will be leaning on this board heavily as I start the planning stage of our family gathering spot " The Pond".
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/11/15 02:25 AM
Welcome duck and tc

Ask lots of questions and read even more. There are some great folks here that become family. Tell us what yall want from your ponds or will want and the guys can point you in the right direction... Also post pix when you can
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/11/15 02:28 AM
Originally Posted By: Mike Otto
It is getting harder and harder to find property with water on it. Good job

Mike I made my own water hole because it's so hard to find one. I got lucky and had conditions just right for a pond
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/11/15 10:01 AM
Duck, pumps will push water a lot further than they can lift it. The size, both HP and hose sizes, of the pump has to be determined by just how much water you need to move.
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/11/15 10:01 AM
Duck, pumps will push water a lot further than they can lift it. The size, both HP and hose sizes, of the pump has to be determined by just how much water you need to move and how steep the hill is.
Posted By: Jacklegg Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/15/15 07:33 PM
Hello Forum. I'm Jack from SW MO. Eager to learn as I begin the process of TRYING to improve my 1/4 acre pond to hopefully 1/2 acre or bigger. It'll have to be somewhat of a kidney shape, but hopefully it'll come out ok. Figured it wouldn't be added onto until Novemberish. However, I'm not sure when renovations (i.e. making a pond bigger) when the best time of year would be. I was just guessing. As a NOVICE I'm looking for advice and this is where I landed. I probably jumped the gun a little bit. I ordered 25 cc, 3 lbs FHM and 3 grass carp to put in my current 1/4 acre pond. Not sure if I'll have the funds to make the pond bigger this Fall, so I wanted to add a little big to help clean up some and just see whats going to happen when I add these to my current fishin' hole. Also, it was said that there are crappie in it when I purchased in the Fall. Have not caught 1, so I'm reluctant with that. I know that there is currently 0 catfish. Have some health bass, perch and Hyprid Blue Gill. Trying to fish out the perch, want to keep the HBG. They are very good size right now. So my question right now is: The fish that I catch from now on....Should I start keeping track of species and size? Thank you for the help and looking forward to the forums. Jack
Posted By: sasmith Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/15/15 09:27 PM
Hello Folks VA pond owner here. I'm very happy I came across this site! Looking forward to learning a few things and may be able to share some of my experiences
Posted By: ColoradoCowboy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/28/15 04:57 PM
I joined a year ago but never posted anything. I live in Southeast Colorado and have around 7-8 ponds but only three that hold water year round. Finally this year I'm getting around to attempting to stock one or two of them.

There aren't many fish hatcheries near by so they will have to travel around 250 miles. I ordered 200 blue gill, 200 channel cats 8-12" 2000 fhm, and 10 grass carp to start. They should be coming from Kingman, Kansas in the next week or two.

Next year I will add some lmb. I'm mainly stocking so that we can relax and fish with family and friends maybe have some friendly tournaments after branding or weaning time.

The pond I plan on stocking is roughly 300' long by 200' wide with an average depth of aroudn 4-5' the deepest being around 12'.

I have already learned a lot from the site and enjoy reading all the information. I will attempt to get some pictures of the pond and pictures of when the fish arrive and we release them into the pond.
Posted By: Rainman Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/28/15 05:06 PM
200 CC sounds like way too many for such a small pond. You will be getting muddy water soon from the CC trying to find food. I would not suggest more than 50, at most!

2000 FHM is about 2.5 pounds...might up that to at least 5# unless not adding LMB until 2017. What size /numbers of LMB are you hoping to stock? 200 BG will feed about 20 LMB pretty well. I would suggest adding about 50 Redear Sunfish also (to eat snails and reduce potential grub/parasite infestations).

Hartley's Fish Farm in Kingman has some nice fish!

Posted By: ColoradoCowboy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/28/15 05:20 PM
I started off with only ordering 100 cc and was told that was not enough. The pond is about 5 acre feet water from the pond calculation I did. I also have multiple ponds so can split them up between at least three ponds.

As far as LMB bass for 2016 I was only looking at 10-20 in the main pond.

I could add some redear that is a fish Hartley's have. I didn't know what their purpose was. So thank you for the information. How big do they get ? Are the a pan fish I assume?

The pond also has a lot of tadpoles and little frogs is the reason I kept the FHM numbers down. I assume they will feed on them but could be wrong.

Thank you for the insight and recommendations Rainman.
Posted By: Rainman Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/29/15 04:44 AM
Unless aerated or subject to near constant wind/wave action, in the summer once stratified, only about one-third of the pond is not toxic or devoid of dissolved oxygen for fish. Hartley's, like many fish farms may have a minimum order for deliveries, and suggest stocking plans that sell fish, not reach goals...

Fish don't like eating tadpoles...ever tasted one? laugh
Posted By: ColoradoCowboy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/29/15 03:17 PM
No I have never tasted one but assumed they would eat them. Thank you for the information looks like I should maybe stock one pond with cc and fhm and the other with bg, redear, fhm, then bass the next year.
Posted By: patcinkc Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/06/15 02:14 AM
my name is pat(surprise!) im from Kansas I have no idea how big my family pond is, its an old limestone quarry that filled in it ranges from a foot deep in parts to about 15, it was stocked in the 70s with largemouth bass, a few species of sunfish and channel catfish. its been fished by family and family friends I don't know about bass but I was told that the catfish were overfished. ive fished for catfish for 3 or 4 years now and haven't caught a single one so I don't know if any are left, and there are shite tons of bass, some up to 4-5 pounds most under 1 pound, and lots and lots of bluegill with the average being about 3-5 inch length. id like to learn how to manage our fishery better, and my goal is to increase the size of bass and figure out if there are any ways to figure out if catfish are left. ive done a little bit of research but its helped only a bit. I did start killing any bass I was catching under 10 inches last spring and caught several bass over 3 or 4 pounds this year, a lot more than last year. I was refered to this site by a member of a facebook group. what do I do lol
Posted By: irlene Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/25/15 06:17 PM
Hello; I just joined. My pond was dug about 6 months ago and i stocked it with fish in May. It is approximately 1 acre pond. I was very satisfied with my pond. However, we have had a very dry summer here and a guy has been irrigating his farm and i think is helping to make my pond get low. I have already had someone dig me a well to try help fill my pond with water. The well is approximately 60 feet deep. What kind of water pump would you suggest I purchase to try and put water back in my pond
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/26/15 02:18 PM
Welcome to the forum.

What size is the well? That will determine what type of pump you get, also do you have any idea how many GPM it is capable of producing? The well driller should have an idea of the GPM.
Posted By: irlene Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/27/15 02:16 PM
The well from my understanding is a deep well (its about 60 ft deep). My well man put down a 2 inch pipe which may need to be upgraded to a 3 or 4 inch pipe. I am not sure how much water it can produce. Right now, my dad hooked a sump pump to it and it runs most of the time. I am not sure the amount of water that it would produce. I did some looking and the Honda WH 20xkl high pressure pump seem to look like it might work. Do you have any suggestions.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/27/15 04:50 PM
If he put a 2" pipe in, then it's most likely to be considered a "shallow well" and will use a pump that is mounted above ground level.

If it was a 4" pipe, then what is called a submersible pump can be used.

I don't know about shallow wells, but a 4" submersible pump can pump up to 100 gpm. The size and style of pump will be determined by the amount of water that is available and the "head", which is the distance that the water is below the ground level without any pumping going on, i.e. static level.

For instance, my 4" well is 66' deep. The water head is 13'. I have a 3/4 hp submersible well pump that is pumping 27 gpm. I can upgrade the pump to pump up to 100 gpm if I want.

My electric going to the well is 220v. That also has some determining factor on which pump you use.
Posted By: bongo Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/26/15 12:55 PM
Hello all forum users
I am Polish and I am looking for a contact on buying eggs musky and bringing into Polish. I have a private lake of 40 hectares, and I want to bring musky or a hybrid musky (tiger). I'm looking for sites in the states but the town can trace who can sell and send to Polish.
Posted By: ksessions Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/27/15 05:31 PM
Hello everyone! I'm Kyle. I'm from Texas!!! (Yea Baby that state everyone knows!) An hour south of Dallas. I grew up as stock ponds for my swimming hole haha. I look forward to meeting and talking to you guys!! Holler at me anytime!!! Lets talk ponds, dirt, cattle, tractors, or whatever you want haha!!!
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/28/15 06:31 PM
Kyle, a big welcome to the forum! There's a lot of information here, and I think you will like the place.

I have to edit your profile and your posts, and here's why (It's posted in the PBF Guidelines):

Quite often, we'll see a new member (or existing members) selling their wares or services.
We only allow that of our approved advertisers. We are careful to make sure our advertisers are quality and meet our expectations.
If you have a product or service you'd like to promote on the forum, please send an email to info@pondboss.com and get permission before you promote or add information to your signature line or add a link to your website.
We'll protect our paying advertisers and people we know.
For our approved advertisers, you guys already know how to play.

If someone breaks this rule the moderators will delete all links and references to your business.


You can also call the Pond Boss Office and talk to them about getting listed in the Resource Guide. The office number is:
(903) 564-6144
(800) 687-6075

Until the moderators can check the Resource Guide and see that you are listed (that's how we check to see if someone can advertise on the forum), I will have to edit your signature line to conform to what Bob Lusk has set for forum rules.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/28/15 08:01 PM
Welcome all to PB.
Posted By: ksessions Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/28/15 10:43 PM
Why would you have a website tab if I can't put my website in my signature?

Originally Posted By: esshup
Kyle, a big welcome to the forum! There's a lot of information here, and I think you will like the place.

I have to edit your profile and your posts, and here's why (It's posted in the PBF Guidelines):

Quite often, we'll see a new member (or existing members) selling their wares or services.
We only allow that of our approved advertisers. We are careful to make sure our advertisers are quality and meet our expectations.
If you have a product or service you'd like to promote on the forum, please send an email to info@pondboss.com and get permission before you promote or add information to your signature line or add a link to your website.
We'll protect our paying advertisers and people we know.
For our approved advertisers, you guys already know how to play.

If someone breaks this rule the moderators will delete all links and references to your business.


You can also call the Pond Boss Office and talk to them about getting listed in the Resource Guide. The office number is:
(903) 564-6144
(800) 687-6075

Until the moderators can check the Resource Guide and see that you are listed (that's how we check to see if someone can advertise on the forum), I will have to edit your signature line to conform to what Bob Lusk has set for forum rules.
Posted By: sprkplug Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/28/15 10:51 PM
My understanding is you can indeed add your website, once you're approved as an advertiser.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/29/15 01:52 AM
Sparkplug is correct.
Posted By: ksessions Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/30/15 05:44 PM
Ok. My apologies
Posted By: stickem' Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/31/15 01:20 PM
ksessions,
...welcome to Pond Boss...tons of good info and lots of good helpful folks here...when you have time, shoot us some pics of your pond...
Posted By: matt13 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/09/16 12:44 PM
Hello all. Found this site while trying to learn about leaks

I'm Matt from West Michigan, Grand Rapids area. Trying to fulfill a lifelong dream of having my own pond. Goal would be recreational, swimming and wildlife support. Have great Whitetail and bird populations. Would like some fish as well, maybe bluegill.

Unfortunately, my land is not ideal. Working on around 1 acre excavated,bermed pond. (I'll get some pics added soon). Much of my soil is red clay but went thru a couple of gravel veins too. We lined the whole bottom with blue clay. Found a couple of large defects at the bottom. Fixed those and it holds water at about 4 ft mark. Can fill above this but comes down to the same line. I have inspected the perimeter at this level and cannot find anything obvious. That whole process has been over about 2-3 yrs.

Trying to figure out next step. Is it worth continuing a search for the whole edge or should I just treat the whole edge with something like Soilfloc or bentonite? What would be a reasonable next step? Any advice would be appreciated.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/10/16 01:28 AM
Welcome to the forum matt13!

Throw your question about the pond over into this section. http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=26&page=1

It will get more visibility, and won't clutter up this welcome section with specific answers, making it easier for someone in the future with your problem to search for an answer.
Posted By: nepo Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/05/16 08:15 PM
Hello... My name is Cindy. My fiance and I recently bought a house in NC on some beautiful property that just happened to have a pond on it. When we moved in the pond was a mess. Algae, stench, and what I learned was watermeal(after much research) covered the pond. My fiance travels alot for work so I became the one in charge of cleanup! I read up on treating a pond and clarifying water this past summer, and this spring it is actually under control(so far)! We saw no activity of fish last year but many turtles. So I stocked the pond last summer and the majority of the fish died the first day. It was 100 degrees out and the water was low so I imagine that didn't help the situation. So early this spring I stocked the pond with some hybrid bluegill, lm bass, minnows and 2 grass carp. We're hoping that the carp will help us naturally keep the weeds under control rather than treating with so many chemicals. The bass, blue gill and minnows are plentiful BUT we haven't seen the carp since the day they were introduced to the pond. We're just hoping they are gorging themselves in the deeper waters rather than the shallower waters. Any thoughts on the subject? Would love to hear someone say they're swimming deep and probably not dead or eaten. Look forward to learning lots in this forum!
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/05/16 10:29 PM
Cindy welcome to the forum. Lots of help here. I would think the carp will do fine , and from what I hear you won't notice much out of them the first year. Good luck and some smart ones with all the brains will answer your question. Again welcome
Posted By: stickem' Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/05/16 10:39 PM
Cindy,
Welcome to Pond Boss...tons of info and good helpful folks here. Post some pics of your pond when you have time...
Posted By: Spex Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/19/16 02:14 PM
Hi! My name is Eric and I came upon this site while researching pond aeration online. Our IWLA chapter is purchasing a subsurface aeration system for our properties pond and this forum has been very helpful. I have been involved in pond management as an amateur for over 20 years. Between helping friends and neighbors with their ponds and helping non-profit and conservation organizations with their pond and fish issues, I've learned a lot, through both my mistakes and successes. I am looking forward to learning much more through networking and advice through this site as well.
Posted By: JSch Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/30/16 11:42 AM
Hi there. I'm Jennifer, and I'm new to this forum. I'm unsure how to start a forum question. I see where you can reply to others' questions, but not where to start my own. Can anyone help me with this? Thanks!
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/30/16 12:12 PM
Jennifer first, welcome to the PB Forum.

If you go to the forum homepage, you'll see a list of categories on the left side of the page. Just click on the category you want to add a post to, and at the top left of that page will be a small "New Topic" link. Just add your new post there.
Posted By: jdknr5 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/04/16 02:14 AM
Hey everyone. Name's Kellerman. Just joined the forum because I finally own my own ponds (life-long dream) and am looking to learn how to improve and properly maintain them. I have a 6 acre and a 2 acre pond in Southern Illinois. They're currently stocked with largemouth, bluegill, redear, and few channels. I also got a few grass carp, goldfish, and a ton of bullheads swimming around. Anyway, just introducing myself. Thanks.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/04/16 02:21 AM
Welcome to the family of fits and misfits. Lots of experience here and lots of folks that can really help you from making a mess before you ever get started, ask lots of questions and post pictures if you got time.
Posted By: AustinBarber Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/17/16 10:07 AM
Hello everybody, I am newbie to this forum. I am looking ahead to share my problems and experiences.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/17/16 01:19 PM
Welcome to posting on PB. Glad you are here.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/17/16 01:51 PM
Welcome Austin
Join the fun and learn a lot while you're at it. Tell us about your pond and your goals
Posted By: stickem' Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/17/16 06:41 PM
Austin,
Welcome to Pond Boss....lot's of good info and helpful folks here. Down in Orlando, huh? You guys got a really nice long growing season down there in Florida.
Posted By: Dfou Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/16 09:37 PM
New to the forum and a new pond owner with plenty questions!
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/12/16 12:05 AM
General questions are $1 each. Questions that require thought are $5 each. Questions that require correct answers........... well those are just priceless! grin

Just kidding. Ask away and welcome to PBF!
Posted By: stickem' Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/12/16 12:16 AM
welcome to Pond Boss......tons of good info and lots of helpful folks here.....
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/13/16 12:23 AM
Welcome on board. Questions are a good thing - ask away !
Posted By: Keana Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/28/16 12:45 AM
Hi. My name is Deana and we recently purchased property in Carroll County Indiana that has an existing pond on the property. We know nothing about ponds and need to learn how to maintain/renovate the pond. It has not been maintained for at least 40 years that I know of. I'll post questions in the forums. But, just wanted to say hello to everyone.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/28/16 01:12 AM
Welcome to the forum. Now is a good time to do a lot of reading and ask questions about what you don't understand. There is a LOT of information in the archives.

First start off by asking yourself and your family what are your goals for the pond, and concentrate on making those goals come true.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/28/16 03:38 AM
Welcome and do ask questions !
Posted By: Poetry Ranch Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/17 03:52 PM
Hello my name Is Matt Adams. I just purchased a couple acres just east of Dallas, Texas. I have approx. a 1/4 acre pond (clay bottom) I am new to the pond world. Pond just filled up the first time ever this last couple of weeks.(Rain water) I have a few questions already....

How long do I wait until I introduce fish?

I plan to add a few dead christmas trees and a couple man made structure pieces.

I have been looking at stock my pond for a basic starter pack of fish. Any recomentadtions or advice is appreciated.

Pond is approx. 100' x 80' and has a max depth of approx. 12'-14'
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/17 04:41 PM
Matt,
Please refer to this thread where there are several who voiced concerns about using a 'stocking kit or starter pack' There are many from TX who can guide you on how to get a good start to your pond. A starter pack may create management issues. And welcome to Pond Boss!!

stocking thread
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/17 09:29 PM
Poetry Ranch Matt - What specific stocking kit are you looking at using? Do we know your pond use goals or purpose including types and sizes of fish you desire? Some want mostly swimming, relaxing, aesthetics, wildlife, with a small amount of occasional fun catch general fishing. Stocking plan should be customized for your goals then manage those fish and the water resource to meet your goals. Do not stock a random kit then try and to manage it based on the fish farm's idea of what you needed that often includes selling you more fish later for an inadequate stocking kit while not providing you with good detailed information of how to properly manage that 'kit'.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/23/17 11:24 PM
Canned answers (stocking kits) are often wrong or not in concert with goals.
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/24/17 02:58 AM
Matt, what are your goals and what kind of fish do you want? My normal recommendation for 1/4 acre in Texas is hybrid bluegills, hybrid stripers, and a feeder.
Posted By: EMead Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/09/17 12:48 AM
I just joined yesterday and there seems to be some good information for controlling your ponds outcome. Earl
Posted By: Bill D. Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/09/17 01:29 AM
Welcome to PBF Earl!

Lots of good folks here to help in anyway they can!

Don't be shy about jumping in on any topic if you have questions, opinions or experience to share.

Bill D.
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/09/17 01:32 PM
Welcome to PBF Earl.

A tip. If there is a thread you want to be able to locate at a later date, put it on your "watch list". The option to do so will be at the top of each forum thread (under "Topic Options").

Otherwise it becomes terribly hard to find the old thread you were interested in at some later date.
Posted By: Mel Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/29/17 08:06 PM
Hi Pond Boss gang.
I am Mel. Dug my pond in 2006. Its a little bigger than a third acre and 13 to 15 feet in the middle. Its aerated in 2 places all year long. Land was so wet that there was little else to do with it but to dig pond. It is used primarily for swimming and paddle boating. However my dilemma is that there is an overflow pipe hidden behind the cat tails at the far end of it which drains into a drainage swale. As a result, my pond never fills to the surface of the grass line of the rest of my property and it is a total nightmare trying to control the grassy/ weedy banks all the way around it which are probably a good 4 feet slope down to the water. Doesn't look pretty. I want water to come higher so I don't have to look at that weedy bank. I have to pay a kid to weed wack it every few months. Its more than I can handle. DEC designed pond and I know that weedy banks are good for wild life, but so not very nice to look at. Any ideas how to make water level higher so I don't have to deal with bank maintenance?? I actually thought of sticking a ball in the pipe to lessen the overflow spillage. Also wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions for water testing kits and what I should be testing for; the usual ammonia, nitrate, chloride, hardness, carbon dioxide and alkalinity. Or more than that. I'm not sure if herons have eaten my fish or if water quality is on the blink but seems I have not seen too many fish jumping like I used to. Heron or water issues?? Haven't seen huge amount of dead fish, only one last summer. Water looks pretty clear, but that doesn't mean its
good. Probably need to restock ??? Thanks for any tips or ideas. So happy to have found this forum. Cheers !!
Posted By: peachgrower Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/29/17 10:45 PM
Welcome!! You are in the right place.

Just a thought...could you lengthen the pipe? What is it made out of? Could you possible put a lid with a little float and a rope so you could open if needed...or a valve?? The best be would be to just raise to where you desired level would be.

I used Texas A&M for my water testing...there are others but I used them. They were cheaper than most and gave everything I wanted...well what I learned here that I "needed"! Here is the link..print it out, fill it out and send in with the sample. Take the sample out in the pond in at least 3-4 feet of water...hold you finger over the water bottle till you get the bottle under so you don't get surface water and or floating stuff. Here is the link to the page.

Texas A&M water test pdf

The experts will chime in on all the other!! You will probably want to post your questions on a separate thread. Maybe in the "questions and observations" area. Great to have you!

Oh yeah, we like pictures! wink

Posted By: AthensTx Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/30/17 01:14 AM
Hi, my name s Ron Carlson and I just joined the online forum. I live in east Texas where we have lots of clay and everything holds water. I have a 8 acre pond with LM Bass that we stocked about four years ago with lots of bluegill and minnows. We are catching 6 pounders now. I read recently that crawfish are one of the best protein sources for the Bass. Where can I find ones with live gills in east Texas? What should the stocking ratio be?

Thanks!
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/30/17 02:08 AM
Welcome Ron

I'm out of Oakwood near Buffalo, you might try
Overton Fishery near Buffalo for a start of crawfish.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/30/17 02:09 AM
Welcome Mel to the forum
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/30/17 03:00 AM
Welcome, Ron.

Re crawfish, probably the best time to stock is near Easter. That's when commercial catch is at maximum and prices about as cheap as they'll get.

One warning: If you are trying to get some special plants growing in your BOW, stocking lots of crawfish might not be a great idea. They like to eat plants. That's why I did not stock them this year, along with the fact that I already have naturally occurring craws.

Also, if you don't have some rock for them to hide in, they won't last long.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/31/17 02:09 AM
Welcome aboard.
Posted By: Journeyman Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/10/17 04:18 PM
Hi all,
My name is Joe, from central Wisconsin. Great site!
Recently purchased a property with a 1 acre pond, looking to learn everything about it for a complete ecosystem. The previous owners had a fish die off after a long freeze a couple years ago. Aerator going in this weekend.

Joe
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/10/17 04:23 PM
Welcome! An aerator will do a lot to enhance the ecosystem bottom to top. Amount of organic accumulation over the years will determine how well the pond responds to the complete mixing of the water column. If the pond is deeper than 7ft then start - run the aerator about 30min to 1 hr first day then double the run time each day thereafter. You will tell the deeper water was without oxygen if the upwelling water smells like sulfur.
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/10/17 06:39 PM
Joe, welcome to the forum.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/10/17 07:18 PM
Welcome from Texas Joe
Read read read , there is so much information to be had for the reading. Join in the family
And pass on info to others when ya can.
Posted By: Mark Dumas Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/18/17 04:19 AM
Hey everyone! My name is Mark Dumas. I live in Brownwood, Texas.
I have loved fishing since 1978. I was 8 years old and received a Zebco 202 with pole for Christmas. I have never stopped since. I fish mostly ponds and small lakes around Central Texas. Mainly I fish our local country club lake which is around 22 acres. I love the big bass as well as big giant bluegills and crappie. Recently I have gotten into the catfishing a little more. I will be building my first pond soon and can't wait to own my very own. I moonlight as a consultant in the Central Texas area for Clearwater Consulting. A fishery and lake management company my friend owns in Magnolia Texas. I look forward to the forums and fishing news, tips, shares and all that happens. Thanks

Mark
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/18/17 04:48 AM
Welcome Mark to PB
Lots to read here and some good folks . Ask lots of questions and read read read!
Posted By: Vortex 4 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/29/17 04:08 PM
Howdy y'all.


I closed on a 132 acre timber ranch on the edge of Livingston Texas August 1st. My dirt guy moved right in with a dozer and large track hoe and cleared about 5 acres of jungle in a drainage.

As of August 24th they had added a 2nd track hoe, had built a 30 foot dam out of red east Texas clay, and were rushing to tie down large log piles over canals. Also found what looks like a small spring.

August 25th Hurricane Harvey hit. It really hit.

My dirt guy has been in Houston with his boat doing rescues.

We are hunkered down in Kingwood with all roads out of here deep under water.

So...

In a few days we'll see how the pond is doing. Livingston is currently flooding along with the rest of southeast Texas. Could be ordering some fhm as soon as the water seasons a bit and some plankton gets started.

I might have a 4 1/2 acre lake way ahead of my original schedule.
Posted By: Mal Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 12:50 PM
Great forum guys.

I have a 1.3 acre pond that was 50 yrs ago, a great bass and bluegill producer. A termite treatment gone bad about 25 years ago resulted in a massive fish kill. All that survived were the grass carp and a few Israeli carp. They are still there. Muskrats took out one bank and the Spring that fed the pond bypassed. It sat like that for 20 years.

I wish I had studied the situation prior to renovation but I needed fencing and decided to let them fix the pond. Knowing what I know now, I might have done things differently but I'm satisfied with the result.

The pond is back to being Spring fed from a Spring about 80 yards away and by some internal springs. During rainy spells 10 k gallons flow out per day. The flow slowed but never stopped with 25 days without rain. Mid summer water temperatures approached but never hit 80. PH seems constant at 6.5 or so. The pond is shallow, 18 inches at the feed end and near banks and 5 ft +\- at the deepest with little variation. It was muddy for years, I think due to the carp digging for vegetation as I could see them doing it. There was no vegetation visible. Since renovation, the water has cleared considerably and taken on a greenish brown tint with about 12 inches visibility.

There is very little watershed, mostly the springs, no livestock at all. I use 2, 6 inch standpipes for drainage and currently NO spillway. 2 inches of rain the other day, one inch in an hr did not stress the drain.

I have contracted for stocking. The numbers are proprietary but heavy BG, FHM, some RESF and not many LMB. I'll provide some habitat and nesting gravel but no feeding.

I look forward to a lot of reading here and a bit of posting as my pond ( I suppose it is technically a Lake) teaches me.

Advice, criticism, name calling, disaster predictions are all welcome; I have very thick skin.
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 01:00 PM
the "numbers are proprietary?" Really..? a fish stocking outfit sold you a package and said they weren't allowed to tell you what was in the package? I can't imagine any advantage to that company to try to keep that a secret... hmm... Did they not think that some enterprising customer would simply count the fish as they put them in?
Posted By: Mal Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 02:04 PM
Oh no, they told me the numbers but advice is their bread and butter. I don't like it...... but I understand.

The numbers sounded a bit unusual to me but they had what sounded like good reasons for heavy BG and light LMB.
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 04:13 PM
For a renovated 1.3 ac and you say the stocking numbers from a fish farm are held as proprietary? My advice is stay away from them. They are self serving and not interested in your best interest. The place is paranoid with a unnatural fear and very likely they do not want others to know how way out of normal their stocking numbers and advice are compared to good sound fishery advice. I suspect their stocking philosophy is to annually sell forage fish or predators to unbalanced situations.

Heavy BG with few bass is stocking plan for producing large bass. The same thing can be accomplished with first stocking a balanced number of BG-minnows allow then to reproduce then their high numbers will feed bass and allow them to grow quickly. Proper management then keeps those bass growing to large size. High numbers of Large panfish are usually rare in these situations.

You will get all sorts of stocking advice numbers from too low to too high. I would search for 2nd opinion advice from someone not selling you fish. However to get good 2nd & 3rd stocking and management opinions the adviser needs to know your goals for the fishery. Are your goals to get back to a decent panfish-bass fishery? Are extra large panfish and trophies desired or is a general size, active catch fishery acceptable?.

Are the grass carp and Israeli carp still there? Were all fish and water removed from the pond when it was renovated?. IMO 5ft max depth with a significant portion with less depth will always 'want' be a weed and algae factory. From the new start, due to pond basin average and low maximum depth you will have difficulty producing a high quality fishery for the long term of 10-30 yrs. An initial stocking could result in a decent fishery for the next 3-8yrs. By then over popuation and out of balance will likely gradually or the next years degrade the fishery. However, the pond is ideal as a hatchery and young of year pond where fish are grown for retail market. These ponds are drained and allowed to dry each year for weed and muck control and newly restocked each spring.

The pond could also be managed primarily as a quality catfish(CC) pond where the CC thrive in turbid water. Pellet feeding would enhance the production and how fast the fish are growing. See next section.

The flow through situation means you will have difficulty growing, developing a persistent green bloom on a regular basis due to nutrients constantly flushing out. Green blooms can help control filamentous algae and rooted vegetation do to reduced sunlight penetration. I think the current bloom is a result of renovation from newly exposed soils and leaching of nutrients will likely not persist for the next few years as the pond ages. As a standard clear water situation returns and nuisance weeds, algae regrow you will likely have to return to the turbid, muddy condition to keep vegetation in the ample shallow water from overtaking the pond. Pond dye will not stay for long in the pond due to almost constant flushing.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 04:58 PM
Bad stocking plans can set you back 10 years.
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 05:07 PM
How hard is it for you to break your stocking contract ethically? Also, you said you know the stocking numbers, can you share them with us?
Posted By: Mal Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 05:25 PM
Thanks Bill, I appreciate the advice. The grass and Israeli carp are still there practically fighting over the tiny amount of duckweed at the entrance. Unfortunately the neighbors admit to,"throwing in a few catfish and LMB". My stocking may well be expensive fish food but I see numbers of small fish surviving since the rebuild and have fished heavily with nothing caught..

Draining or poisoning are both impractical.

I fully expected the pond to muddy up again due to the carp but it hasn't. My hope is that the carp will control the weeds and algae either through consuming it or reducing the viz trying to. The grass carp are about 20 yrs old yet only about 12 inches. I caught an Israeli carp years ago that was 30 lbs. Tasted like mud. His brother(s) have been seen recently at about the same size.

The stocking is paid for so their numbers it will be. I did get several opinions but theirs seemed more educated and they expressed more interest in my specific situation. Having said that, I totally understand your suspicions. 5 to 8 yrs sounds great to me then let the kids join Pond Boss. My goal is a few bass for fishing friends and family and panfish no matter how small for the kids. I mostly just love the view out the window and walking around it. It's not like waking up on a sailboat 200 mi out.... but it's as good or better in its own right.

Again, thank you so much, the forum has been a great help already, I wish I had found it sooner.
Posted By: Mal Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/11/17 06:42 PM
A specific question. On several occasions since renovation I have seen a fish jump. It just clears the water, about 10 inches, light from 1/4 down, dark green above, very flat, long and thin. Looks like the shad my son catches in New Jersey.

I also see a school of maybe a dozen very small fish at the shallow end. They stay together but spook as I approach.

Any ideas on what either or both might be never seen them before renovation.

An observation. When I was a kid 60 years ago, weeds grew thick in the Spring fed end of the Lake only. I now assume due to the clear water flowing in there. It annoyed me but as I remember it always teemed with tiny bream and bass. I would sneak down at first light and cast from beyond where I could be seen to just outside those weeds. On several occasions, I would catch a large bass. I know why now and would welcome those weeds if they only grew there.

Canyon Creek, I agreed not to share the numbers so I will honor that other than my vague description earlier.
Posted By: Mal Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/12/17 02:41 AM
I think my son identified the fish. He has seen golden shiners in the pond years ago and believes they get that big though he has never seen them jump. He also thinks the small schooling fish I see are the same.

Sounds like I might have a small head start on forage.....
Posted By: nbell Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/19/17 11:55 AM
Hi, My name is Nolan . I've been lurking around this forum for the last 6 months (when my wife suggested that she would like a pond) It appears that I would build a ground water pond, My 5 acres is sand and when I was moving dirt I hit water at 3 feet. I staked out a 1/3 acre area and had some dirt guys give me a bid to dig it to 12'. Since the pond has to be dug and the sand hauled off (I do not have any where to put it on the property) . I was quoted 35 to 40 thousand dollars (I am not spending that kind of money on just dirt work). Then came Hurricane Harvey and the pond was put on the back burner. Then I got a call from the highest bidder and he needs my sand and will dig the hole for no cost if he can have the sand ( and he needs it now and wants to start on Monday)When I look at my neighbors ponds it looks like it will need to have sloped banks, I would like to aerate, I have a good well(since it will be a ground water pond if I add water with a well will it help low water levels if there is a drought)I have a million questions and I am not really ready but a free hole in is hard to resist. Would you take advantage of this opportunity,They are not "pond" guys. The pond guy I've contacted does not have the equipment to dig wet sand.
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/19/17 03:48 PM
Welcome to the forum.

I see you have started a separate thread on your potential pond. That is a good idea.

Something to help you keep track of the threads you are interested in is under the heading "My Stuff". You can look up the threads you have replied to and also mark threads on your "watch list". I would suggest you mark your "Pond is being dug soon" thread to your watch list.

If the forum gets really active, the threads pass by into history and I have found it extremely hard to find an old thread I was interested in. That is where the "Watch List" works great.

Again, welcome to the forum and good luck with your pond.
Posted By: Daniel Powell Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/24/17 05:41 AM
Hey guys and gals,

Not my first post here but I haven't really introduced myself. I'm a husband and father of three who has to work too many hours to support my outdoor activities. My wife and all three kids love fishing and I love taking them. Nothing better than to see all the smiles of them sitting a cast away from a bream bed!
I've just recently been asked to manage a 66 acre lake that needs a lot of work to get it ready for fishing fun. I'm thankful to all who have already helped point me in the right direction. Looking forward to learning more and hopefully one day sharing some info with you all.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year!
Posted By: russ z Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/30/18 12:53 PM
Hi there. I haven't posted before, but have studied a lot of good information on this site. Great job! I have a question to ask about Tilapia for algae control. I'll try to post it in the correct forum also. I have a pond about 5 acre feet. Bass and bluegill. Managing for large bluegill. Algae, FA is tough to keep under control by mid-summer. I am raising Tilapia and plan to stock about one thousand. My QUESTION is this. When these die in fall (I'm in Wis.) will the bass clean them up? Or are they going to rot and cause a winterkill? Thanks for any advice or experience.
Posted By: DannyMac Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/04/18 05:39 PM
Hello, Danny McWhirter, posting as DannyMac. We live in northwest Bexar county, Texas, northwest of San Antonio. We put in a small pond in February 2017, damming a ravine. Stocked with CNBG and a few of each of RES, CC, HBC and LMB. We feed everyday.
I earlier posted in Introductions under the topic, a Balcones Escarpment pond. Just subscribed to Pond Boss magazine. The Facebook Live shows are great! So happy to have finally searched for and find this pond and lake forum.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/04/18 06:04 PM
Welcome all - glad your here posting.
Posted By: Ken Henkel Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/06/18 10:11 PM
I first bought Pond Boss circa 1992. There was a study about cormorant and raccoon depredation in four ponds.
1 Was left to nature.
2 Had some protection like noisemakers
3 Had more protection including "Mr. Scary", a solar PV panel charged a battery. When the battery was charged, Mr. Scary was powered up to blow up a doll that makes noises every 20 minutes or so.
4 Had total fencing.

1 Was eaten up.
2, 3 did better but even Mr. Scary failed after several months.
4 Worked.

I may have some details wrong.

I now live on a 40-acre lake with bass and bream west of Auburn, Alabama.
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/06/18 11:16 PM
Holographic scare tape attached to cormorants' favorite perches has worked so far for us, but it's only been 3 weeks or so. Scare eye balloons now up, too.
Posted By: RStringer Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/20/18 02:09 PM
Hello all newbe here. Had a pond built at new house was bout 1/4 acre at first now bout 1/2 an acre in size but hasn't been filled yet. Wanting to build some habitat for them before it gets full. And theres a dock in the plans. Southeast Kansas here just outside of Parsons.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/20/18 02:16 PM
Welcome RS to the forum
Read and ask questions, tell us what goals you think you might have and enjoy the ride
Posted By: Quarter Acre Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/20/18 02:28 PM
Hey RS, welcome to the club! Start with the following linked thread about structure. It's a great read and will give you a lot of ideas...

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463

And, here is a thread of mine that shows off my attempts at underwater structure...

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=458150&page=2

Enjoy!
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/20/18 05:21 PM
Originally Posted By: RStringer
Hello all newbe here. Had a pond built at new house was bout 1/4 acre at first now bout 1/2 an acre in size but hasn't been filled yet. Wanting to build some habitat for them before it gets full. And theres a dock in the plans. Southeast Kansas here just outside of Parsons.


Welcome to the forum RStringer.

Here is something that will be useful.
Commonly ask questions

And mark this on your calendar. I'm only about 30 minutes east of you.
Snrubs forum get together in September
Posted By: LLL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 02:14 PM
I have been reading a lot on this forum and discovered That I have done most things wrong on my ponds. I will now try and correct the mistakes I made. My name is Lawrence and I live in NE Kansas. I stocked Channel catfish 2 years ago now are 7lbs, Bucket stocked bass of all sizes the largest 6 1/2lbs. Black crappie bucket stocked and bought from fish farms, Red ear sunfish, bluegill, Hybrid blue gill.
Posted By: RStringer Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 05:06 PM
The 1st year I had water in the pond I put 12 pounds of FHM and let them play (reproduce). The I put n mayb 10 crappy and 15 nice bass 3- 4 pounds and 100 catfish. The catfish I started feeding this year and they started coming up the second time I feed them.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 05:13 PM
Welcome triple L lots to learn here, and a bunch of all around nice folks.

I think most members have had a few boo boos along the way
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 05:16 PM
Welcome LLL,
Do you mind telling us which things you feel you did wrong and what you wished you would have done differently? We all can learn!
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 05:31 PM
Originally Posted By: Pat Williamson
Welcome triple L lots to learn here, and a bunch of all around nice folks.

I think most members have had a few boo boos along the way


More than a few in my case! blush
Posted By: LLL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 06:12 PM
My pond dams had been washed out for 5 or 6 years. So I bought some equipment and fixed the dams. I have creek that is 50 foot wide and 4/5 foot deep it has what is in the lakes and ponds in my area any way I started catching fish to restock my ponds. I put bullhead catfish any fish I could catch. I just like to fish I was not worried about any record fish. Now I buy fish from fish farms and they seem to grow faster and it take less time to stock the ponds and cheaper in the long run. If you know what I mean.
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 06:42 PM
What species do you have in your pond and are you happy with the mix, or are there some fish you would have tried to keep out?

What is the future goal now that the dam is fixed?
Posted By: LLL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/25/18 07:47 PM
Actually the bullheads are not causing any problem when I catch them they are 1/2-2lbs. I think the bass and other fish keep them from taking over so far but I wish I had not put them in. When I do catch them I throw them out. I am happy with the rest of the fish as long a the crappie do not get out of control. My ponds are 1 acre (mainly has bluegill, red ear sunfish and small bass) and the other one is 3 1/2 acre.
Posted By: warmouthy Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/02/18 10:05 PM
Hi, my name is Jim from Alachua, Florida. I have a 1/8 acre pond. I had good luck with channel cat and sunfish 15 yrs ago but kind of neglected the pond. It gets a lot of shade and became covered with a mat of duckweed. I have skimmed off a good % of the DW with a landing net on the end of a 10' PVC pipe. I also broadcast some dolomitic lime to raise the PH. My fishery guy says there seems to be a correlation between ponds with acidity and Duckweed. I have recently stocked it with channel cats, 20 tilapia to help with the DW and gambusia minnows. I have an aerator that I plan to put on a timer and run for 2 or 3 hrs every day just before daylight. I'm not sure my aerator is really effective. I mounted a Jacuzzi pump on a little shed on the bank of the pond with a line going into the pond to a strainer/check valve. The outlet of the pump spatters water through a nozzle back into the pond. The intake water comes from a depth of about 3 feet (max depth of pond is 6 ft.). Obviously my pond is small but If I start harvesting the catfish before they get over about 3/4 lb I think I can keep it healthy. I'm 70 yrs old and retired so I don't feel like starting over but I sure would like to have some property with several ponds so I could dabble with different fish. Lots of great info sharing on this site.
Posted By: Cody farm Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/22/18 04:26 PM
Got busy with kids and now have Re-joined the forum, not sure when I was a member (been a few years), but happy to get back on. I have a farm in Southern Oklahoma and have 5 ponds that I try to manage or throw money at. Always read the forum and get great info. Thanks for having me back.
Cody Smith
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/23/18 01:01 AM
Originally Posted By: LLL
My pond dams had been washed out for 5 or 6 years. So I bought some equipment and fixed the dams. I have creek that is 50 foot wide and 4/5 foot deep it has what is in the lakes and ponds in my area any way I started catching fish to restock my ponds. I put bullhead catfish any fish I could catch. I just like to fish I was not worried about any record fish. Now I buy fish from fish farms and they seem to grow faster and it take less time to stock the ponds and cheaper in the long run. If you know what I mean.


I'll bet part of the reason why fish farm stocked fish grow faster is that they are younger than wild caught fish of the same size. Better & more regularly fed.
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/23/18 01:45 PM
Welcome back Cody! You may want to ask one of the moderators to revive your past registered account or link to the new one some how. This way your past threads and posts will stay together and folks who want to read about your past posts can do so by clicking on your user name.
Posted By: bigpullerman Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/22/18 01:59 AM
Hello fellers. First post here even though I joined the forum a few yrs. ago. My name is Buddy R Hill and I have a little 1 acre pond in east central Arkansas. I had it built 20 something yrs ago and it was only about a 1/2 acre at that time. I have worked on it over the years expanding it and adding to the levee to make it to the size it currently is. I plan on expanding it more as time goes on. No fancy equipment, just my ole Ford 1720 tractor, a dirt scoop and a box blade. I have let it go over the years till about 4 yrs ago I started back digging on it and expanding it. We have some good red clay soil here and it gets about 20 acres of watershed from a farm field. The only stocking that I have done over the yrs is the good ole bucket stocking from other ponds, rivers, ditches or whatever. I have no plans for monster bass, bream or catfish. I just want a place to sit on my fishing dock and catch some for supper. Now that I have some grandkids I want plenty of hungry fish so I can watch the show when they come to fish. I have been reading the forum to get some ideas on what to do to my pond.
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/22/18 03:19 AM
Welcome to the forum!
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/22/18 10:30 AM
Welcome
Posted By: bigpullerman Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/22/18 11:40 AM
Thanks Guys. I want to start a thread about my pond and what I have done with it and plan to do with it. How I have done some things and maybe ask a few questions. Post updates and any ideas I have about my pond. I was wondering under what category should I put it under? I want to put some pictures up also.
Posted By: Steve Mellis Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/29/18 10:14 PM
Hey guys. I just bought a property in upstate NY and looking to build a pond. I didn't even know this was possible until very recently!
Posted By: FireIsHot Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/29/18 11:24 PM
Welcome to the forum. Lot's of northern members that should be tons of help, so once you determine your goals for a pond, ask away.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/30/18 03:57 PM
Welcome and we do have a few NY members.
Posted By: DanaL Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/29/18 08:40 PM
Hi all. I'm Dana from southeastern NC. My husband and I own most of a pond that has more complications then we know how to deal with. A few months ago someone unknown tore out the spillway which wasn't on our property, and since then we have been trying to figure out which agency can definitively say what the regulations are regarding the land and stream, and how to proceed with repairs. I had no idea this site existed, and I now have hope this can be figured out!
Posted By: Mike Whatley Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/29/18 11:19 PM
Originally Posted By: DanaL
Hi all. I'm Dana from southeastern NC. My husband and I own most of a pond that has more complications then we know how to deal with. A few months ago someone unknown tore out the spillway which wasn't on our property, and since then we have been trying to figure out which agency can definitively say what the regulations are regarding the land and stream, and how to proceed with repairs. I had no idea this site existed, and I now have hope this can be figured out!


Hi Dana...welcome to the forum!!

This is pure speculation, but from what I understand, the spillway on your "shared" pond rests on adjoining property owned by someone else. That's a tough situation. In most cases, my understanding is, that individual is responsible for upkeep/maintainance on any portion of the pond that's on their property. If they decided, for whatever reason, they no longer want a pond on their land, they can rip out the spillway and drain it, even if the majority of the pond is on you!

Unfortunately, about the only way to resolve the problem is to build a new dam/spillway on your property. A very costly endeavor, but that would give you complete control over the pond on your land.

I've heard many members here advise against having anything to do with so called "shared" ponds, simply because of issues like this, as well as any management issues that co-owners may differ on. You spend gobs of $$$ on stocking fish, structure and habitat just to have your neighbor invite the entire family over for a fish fry....on your dime.

I hope someone will come on and say I dont know what I'm talking about. Good luck, and please, keep us informed on whats going on.
Posted By: Bill D. Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/30/18 12:24 AM
Hi Dana,

Welcome to PBF!

Sorry for your problem. My first effort would be to get in touch with the owner of the land with the spillway and find out why it was removed and see if you can work out an amicable solution.

Good Luck,

Bill D.
Posted By: Kellyann Greetings from West Luther, Ontario - 06/20/19 12:31 AM
Hi. We are two sisters born and raised in suburbia, near Toronto. At the age of 52 and 50, we pooled our resources and purchased a farm property 100 kms north of my work location.
I owned a horse and love the country life and wanted to care for my horse and have some peace and quiet. Who knew farm country is not quiet?
We both continued to work which had its own challenges. Now we are both retired!
The 50 acre farm produces organic forage, ie. grass hay. The property came with a 3/4 acre pond, likely surface water but may or may not have a spring. The pond is at the opposite end of the farm about 1 km away. It was completely clean around the edges, with gravel and a small "beach" area of sand. I mean it was bare.
Ten years later it is overgrown with grass, shrubs qnd is beginning to fill in with aquatic plants. I need some help to clean it up. Not to the former sterile pond but usable for swimming and wildlife. It doesn't support fish, no aeration- no power out there.
That's our story, we are hoping to learn things. Thank you for adding us.
Posted By: Joey Quarry Re: Greetings from West Luther, Ontario - 06/20/19 02:09 AM
Welcome, Kellyann. You should start a thread with a pic or two and let the Pond Boss members get to work smile

I would guess you don't need much aeration with all the aquatic plants, they create DO all on their own. I am sure there are a few bugs and skeeters though and stocking some minnows might improve the beach experience by knocking those numbers down. They also attract birds of prey, if you are into wildlife viewing.

Just to move water around you could put in a solar fountain/pump. Any movement of the water will improve the swimming quality. I would suggest keeping as many plants in and around the pond to keep the water healthy without steady aeration.
Posted By: cd24 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/21/19 05:12 PM
Hi my name is Chancy me and my wife bought a section of land in Pattison Mississippi. It has a 5 acre pond on it and we have been reading a bunch of info on you’ll site that has helped us out alot with the pond. Still alot to lean and thanks for excepting us.
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/21/19 06:15 PM
Welcome Chancy and Wife.
Posted By: dipank Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/22/19 09:36 AM
how to make a post
Posted By: TheJMZ Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/11/19 04:32 AM
Thanks for allowing me to join. I grew up in North Texas and recently acquired some property near Farmersville, TX. This property was owned by my great-grandparents (once upon a time) and both my great-grandfather and grandfather did a bit of pond work.

I am currently looking @ expanding/reworking the existing pond, but I'm just getting into it.

It's around 17 acres. Any suggestions on how I might go about assessing the cost of a pond rework are appreciated.

Thanks, everyone,
-james

Overview Layout - note the 2 conjoined ponds


Current Pond Dimensions


Area needed for 1-acre pond (more or less). Is this the recommended size?


Attached picture Farmersville_Pond Measurments_1.png
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/11/19 11:35 AM
A couple of considerations James. Generally, reworking means breaking the dam, draining and silt removal. Drying it out is step one. Due to built up muck, that can take a long time. The junk on the bottom will be the consistency of pudding and isn't machinery friendly.

The size of a new pond is dependent on runoff area. Well, there's also rain.
Posted By: TheJMZ Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/12/19 01:10 AM
Thanks for the tip; it makes sense. I hadn't considered the years of build-up at the bottom. All things considered, it might be better just to dig a new one and fill in the old one...sounds like to me.
Posted By: VTLover Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/02/19 04:20 PM
I live in Utah but own a family place in southern Vermont with a shallow pond of about one acre. Recently overcome with leeches, which makes swimming very unpleasant. Any ideas for getting rid of the leeches(or at least controlling them to a minimum)would be appreciated.
Posted By: Quarter Acre Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/02/19 06:45 PM
Welcome VT! Do you have fish in the pond? Pumpkinseed Sunfish are known to eat leeches voraciously.
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/03/19 05:57 AM
Keep in mind that a 50 to 100 year flood plain does not flood once every 50 to 100 years. Rather, there is a one to two percent chance it will flood each year.
Posted By: Neskcafeshorts Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/08/19 11:25 PM
Hi I'm Bill from South Central Michigan. Dug my pond myself last fall. It is about 1/2 acre pond about 8 feet in the deepest areas. Stocked it with about 4 dozen minnows, 10 bass, and about 75 bluegill in the Spring. Well, here it fall and I have huge schools of minnows and baby bluegill and now that the water is clearer I noticed the bass spawned too. I counted about a dozen new 1/2 lb bass patrolling the shore line for minnows and baby bluegills. They must have eaten well this last summer. Looks like the bigger bass are deeper. Next year I'm thinking I'm going to have a bluegill explosion and will have to harvest. I feed the bluegill the purina game fish chow during the summer. The bluegill seem to really like it.
Posted By: RStringer Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/09/19 01:14 AM
Welcome cafe shorts. Congrats on building it youself. What kind of equipment did you use? You got any pictures of your place. Dock, riprap, zipline lol.
Posted By: RStringer Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/09/19 01:15 AM
Welcome cafe shorts (bill). I have to ask what's with the name? Congrats on building it youself. What kind of equipment did you use? You got any pictures of your place. Dock, riprap, zipline lol.
Posted By: Neskcafeshorts Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 10/28/19 05:33 AM
Used a John Deere 650 bulldozer and and Komatsu 220 excavator. The bulldozer was about 11 tons and the excavator was 22 tons with s 22 foot reach. Learned alot; it's more than just a hole in the ground. Bulldozers are slow, but let that blade go to deep and it will throw you out of the cab. The excavator you have to watch when working in water; the mud splashes and splatters, and it has stones in the mud...smash out a window pretty easy.
Posted By: jroftx Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 12/31/19 04:27 PM
Hello my name is Jim Reeves I live in Hubbard Texas and I have been building a pond or well 3 into one lol. I started with a small pond that was on my place when i bought it. Then I found a deal on a D6 Bulldozer played with it and sold it. Then a good friend said my Brother has a D4 and a D2 so we started digging, now i have about a ac and 1\2 size pond that i am really proud of. and it still needs work. You don't know how much dirt you have until you start moving it wow. I was shooting for 20 to 25 deep water I am happy with the 18 that i got. I still got dirt to get rid of lots of dirt realy. and some of the prettiest yellow clay you ever seen. LOL
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/01/20 11:16 AM
Welcome Jim
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/01/20 01:51 PM
Welcome to the forum Jim.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/04/20 02:49 PM
Welcome and we all like pics of pond construction.
Posted By: mcbzx225 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/20/20 07:20 PM
Hello,

Just signed up. We are now living on a new property with a couple of small ponds. Now that the house stuff is wrapping up it is time to start working on the ponds. The best pond is under 1/2 acre but looks fairly deep. We started cleaning it up around the bank, etc. My next step is to kill several large willows around the bank. I plan to accomplish this by girdling them. I also plan to get some bluegill shortly to get a food base down for a few bass in the future. I look forward to learning from this site.
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/20/20 10:15 PM
Welcome to the forum. Good to get rid of willows.
Posted By: Flame Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/21/20 12:32 AM
Welcome from deep east Texas!!
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/21/20 12:44 AM
Welcome! Do you know what fish are currently in the pond? You might also want to get a water quality analysis done, with special emphasis on alkalinity & hardness.
Posted By: RStringer Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/21/20 02:19 AM
Welcome to the club. If you havnt already take some pictures. Share the om here or at least for youself. It always nice being able to see how much you change things.
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/21/20 12:21 PM
North Texas covers a lot of acreage. What town?
Posted By: mcbzx225 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/26/20 02:14 PM
I bought a kit and plan to check it and see what it looks like. Thanks for the tip for sure.
Posted By: mcbzx225 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 02/26/20 02:14 PM
Denison
Posted By: Fairfax Fisher Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/30/20 09:11 PM
Howdy folks. I'm new to the forum. Thinking of putting a 1/3 acre pond in on my property in Northern Virginia. Need to clear the site of trees. It's in a natural drainage area with a seasonal/wet-weather stream bed flowing into it. Haven't reached out for any professional help yet....just in early stages of planning.

Is there a forum you recommend I join to get some planning tips?

Thanks!
Posted By: RStringer Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/01/20 02:42 AM
Welcome to the club. I would start by drawing a picture of what the finished product is you want. Maybe drive around and see what you like with what you have to work with. What are your goals for it? Do you want it for swimming or fish or both? Mine then main reason is for looks. And we also love the wildlife that comes with it. Me and the kids was catching frogs tonight for example.
Posted By: Trex83 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/05/20 02:11 AM
Tony from Ky Trex83 on here. Recently built a pond for fishing and maybe swimming.
Posted By: JVKFishing Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/03/20 06:49 PM
My name is Joe Van and I’m new to this forum, I have a 9 acre pre existing pond that was once full of trophy bass. The pond was built in 1991 the year I got out of college, I moved off in 1998 and no ones has really kept the pond up for the next 24 years. I recently moved back home and I am wanting to learn as much as I can about pond maintenance and growing more of those big bass! I can’t wait to hear from some of you and the things you do to grow big bass, thanks!

Joe Van Kilpatrick
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/04/20 12:52 PM
Welcome to the forum Joe. Lots of good info and good people on this forum.

Good luck with your new project. It has been fun for me.
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/05/20 12:32 PM
Welcome Joe. 2 things: Water quality and balance.

Big bass need forage/prey that is approx. 1/3 their size. It's a matter of energy expended vs calories obtained.
Posted By: N.peter Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/18/20 07:13 AM
Hello Everyone! I am Peter. I am new to the forum. Fishing is my passion. I came across this site when searching for some information regarding the ponds. It's a great platform to share knowledge and experiences and to learn more from others.
Posted By: Donatello Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 03/10/21 05:10 PM
Hello,

I am Steve(Donatello on here) from Ellsworth Co. KS. I am in the first year of My Pond Project that was started in June of 2020 and I am now too broke to pay attention! My friends and I have done all the work ourselves and after 88hrs on the rented D6T and 50 in the excavator we have what seems too resemble a pond. I love the Conversations on here and Can't wait to fish and swim in the new pond! My Buddies kids have already been in it multiple times

Acres 5 2.5 Deep (6-20ft) and 2.5 Shallow (less than 5ft)

Hope you all are doing great!

Steve
Posted By: AKMikeLee Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/15/21 02:17 AM
Hey Everyone, Mike from Alaska. Just bought a 40 acre recreational property with lakefront on a lake stocked with Rainbows. There are 3 seasonal ponds on the property , each about an acre or so in size. I am considering making one or more into a permanent pond that I can stock. Just popping in here to get some ideas and see what this whole process would entail!
Posted By: Mama Rachael Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/02/21 02:46 AM
Hi folks! I'm new to the forum, and new to pond ownership. We purchased a just over 2 acre property last December here in the Heart of Texas (land is just south of Waco proper) to build on in the next year or two, and it has a small pond in one corner. It seems to be fed by a natural spring, and I want to find that source. But its under a great deal of brambles, Virginia creeper, poison ivy, and Greenbriar. What we can see is that on the USGS maps, the area is marked at marshland. In 1938 maps, there is no pond. In 1955 maps, there is a pond. We think that the pond was dug in the post WW2 boom, which was also when Lake Waco was created by damming the Bosque River. I've seen little bitty fish, lots of saw grass, several trees (one sycamore that is growing from the middle of the pond). The south half of the pond extends on to neighboring property, where cows drink and they have the shore line largely cleared. Our game camera has caught a pair of possums, 3 raccoons (1 pair and a single), a single fox, several armadillos and 1 Great Blue Heron. Cows to the south, goats to the north :P yes, in the middle of a neighborhood.

We have 2 boys and are concerned about cotton mouths. The poison ivy loves the wet around the pond. And the greenbrier just loves all of it. I've read enough Jack London to know that The Wild is out to kill you, and I've watched the Italian Job enough times to know not to mess with Mother freaking Nature. We want this to be a fun place to sit and watch birds and critters, a migrating bird sanctuary. I'm a permaculture gardener, I love ecology, and I get all excited thinking about figuring out this pond and this land.
Posted By: Pat Williamson Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/02/21 09:30 PM
Welcome to the forum Mama
Treat it like eating an elephant...... one bite at a time..... eventually you will get it
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/02/21 10:53 PM
Step one, to me,is to spray the poison ivy.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 07/03/21 02:24 PM
Originally Posted by Dave Davidson1
Step one, to me,is to spray the poison ivy.

If you can find a guy or a rental place that has a skid steer with a Fecon Head on it, you can chip all that brush back, and chip up small trees, then when it starts to grow back spray it to kill it.
Posted By: Richard C Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/01/21 01:36 AM
Richard C, Kaufman Texas near Dallas. Purchased our property and built a house on it a couple of years ago. Pond is a mess. Maybe a Half Acre in size and 25 to 30 willows around it, many covered from the base of the tree to the top in poison Ivy. Pond doesnt go dry in summers but goes down fast due to all the willows I assume. Filled with weeds due to all the shallows. About 10 to 15 foot deep in the middle. Found someone to work on it finally but I needed to drain it. I had to lay out some pallets since I was sinking in the silt up past my knees. Finally tied a rope around suction hose and went to opposite side of pond, tied it round a tree and use it to pull the line out to the middle of the pond. Anyways, Finished draining it today and now we just need to let some of the mud dry up.

I came across this site as I was searching for the the right way to turn this into a good fishing pond. I had read somewhere a couple of years ago that you shouldnt put black bass in a pond unless you have two acres of pond. Is that true? This one had some decent sized black bass in it.

Well, I will be reading quit a bit to figure out how to shape this hole into a good pond to support Perch and catfish for sure.
I was thinking about adding a waterfall on the back of it for aeration. Any feedback on that?

Thanks,
Look forward to reading what everyone has to say about ponds and maybe asking a few questions of my own
Posted By: superjacob Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/21/21 05:49 PM
Hello. I'm new here, and actually only recently decided that I wanted to make a backyard pond. Therefore, I decided to study the theory of this issue and first of all I registered on the forum to chat with experts.
Posted By: Bobbss Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 11/22/21 03:02 AM
Originally Posted by superjacob
Hello. I'm new here, and actually only recently decided that I wanted to make a backyard pond. Therefore, I decided to study the theory of this issue and first of all I registered on the forum to chat with experts.
Welcome to the forum and the journey to pond ownership!
Posted By: Laskowski Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/07/22 08:40 PM
Hi everyone, my name is Rob and I'm moving back to my hometown of Edinboro Pa after a long career in the military. I bought 35 acres with Cussewago creek running through it and it has lots of potential for ponds. I will graduate this spring with an associates degree in Fisheries Sciences with focus on salmonids.
I intend to dig a pond or two for fishing and raising food for personal use and possibly a small scale fish farm. I have visited this forum in the past and finally getting around to joining. My main finfish interests are Trout, Perch and Walleye, and creating natural food webs to support them.

I look forward to interacting and learning from the group.

Rob
Posted By: Sunil Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 01/07/22 08:58 PM
Rob, welcome back to PA!!!
Posted By: LANGSTER Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/05/22 11:32 PM
This site is great! I am new to forum but not new to ponds or fish. But I have learned more here the last few months than I had my 52 years on this earth. Thanks for having this my name is Bill
Posted By: snrub Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/05/22 11:40 PM
Welcome Bill!
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 05/06/22 08:59 PM
Welcome Bill
Posted By: retiredtom Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/21/22 02:57 AM
Hello all! I just signed a contract to purchase 10 acres with a 2.5 acre pond today! I have a million questions and much anxiety because I know so little about purchasing and maintaining ponds.
How do I find a qualified inspector who can inspect for proper drainage systems, water quality, and ecosystem quality? Would a Civil Engineer with PE stamp be needed for the dam inspection?
The pond is believed to be a natural body fed from watershed runoff. It is in an agricultural rea and two sides are packed in with large trees.
The owner says he has stocked the pond with bass, catfish, and bream.
Owner says lake is 6-8 feet deep. On Google Maps it seems more shallow than the other farm ponds in the area.
Owner said there was a "heavy rain" and a local road got damaged by overflow from lake. He said he made repairs but that obviously needs to be inspected.
Can anyone offer any advice for inspections and, specifically, reputable pond inspector(s) in the Georgia area?
Thanks in advance! If I survive this pond purchase I will be a new subscriber to the magazine! Thanks for providing this service to a very small but grateful niche!

Tom
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/21/22 12:38 PM
Welcome to the forum!

Try calling these guys. I don't know how close you are to them.

https://lakework.com/
Posted By: FishinRod Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/21/22 02:33 PM
Originally Posted by retiredtom
The pond is believed to be a natural body fed from watershed runoff. It is in an agricultural rea and two sides are packed in with large trees.


Tom

Hi Tom. Welcome to Pond Boss.

Do you think the pond is completely created by nature? That would mean no dam on the downstream side. (If you can't tell, look for the lowest point on your property outside of the pond.)

Alternatively, some ponds can just be excavated and the spoils (dirt) used to build a berm around the pond, or moved to a remote location. It might be more difficult for you to determine if you have that type of pond.

I personally think the most important thing for you to determine now is - how does water exit from your pond?

Can you go out a few hours after the next big rain and observe the results? Even better, can you take some pictures and post them on the forum?

Experts on the internet are no match for a local expert that can actually view the project. However, if you post more information on the forum, then maybe we can help suggest exactly what type of local expert you may need. Further, we might be able to help you ask him the correct questions.

You definitely DO NOT want overflow water from your pond damaging a neighbors property or a county road.

Congratulations on your new property and pond!

P.S. Just in case you are a city person, moving to the country - do you know how to recognize poison ivy and poison oak? If you are walking around a pond in Georgia with some heavy tree cover, then I suspect you will encounter one of those nasty little plant species!
Posted By: retiredtom Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/22/22 02:13 PM
Thanks!
I have contacted these folks and hope to talk with them shortly.
Tom
Posted By: retiredtom Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/22/22 02:51 PM
Thanks for the reply, FishinRod!
I grew up in Georgia and are very familiar with both! I worry more about snakes and gators...
The property is grown up and I can't even see the entire lake at this point. May be stupid to buy something you can't entirely see but I assume the inspection process will protect me if there are surprises. Owner is supposed to clear more of the pond perimeter so I can see the entire lake.
Because of the overgrowth I can't tell if this is a natural pond or man made. If man made, it is obviously an older pond. I, too, am curious as to where the pond is overflowing and how much rain it takes to create issues.
This property is almost 10 acres, has a 2.5 acre lake, and cost about what you would pay for a new truck. It is priced lower because there is/was a used car graveyard adjacent to the property. On Google Maps it looks awful...I almost decided not to pursue the deal after seeing the satellite pictures. I decided to at least go look. Most of the old cars are now gone and the other surrounding properties are well kept.
It took me months to find a property I could afford without raiding the 401K or selling my current property. Every time I found something interesting it was sold for cash or was under contract... or it was a mud hole. I quickly learned the nice properties are 4 - 5 time what I paid and I may soon re-learn the lesson, "you get what you pay for."
The property needs work but, I *think* has potential. My big worry is the lack of proper overflow systems...the owner admitted the lake overflowed after a recent heavy rain and damaged a dirt road behind the dam. He said he has fixed the issue but that will obviously have to be verified by a civil engineer with a Georgia PE stamp.
I'm 3.5 hours away from the property so I can't spend as much quality time down there as I would like pre-sale.
My plan is to put a metal building with living quarters out there, clear some area for gardening and solar panels, and develop this as an escape property. Sell it...do it again.
Posted By: FishinRod Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/22/22 03:43 PM
retiredtom,

Sounds like a good deal on the property and a fun project!

Do you know how to read topographic maps? That might give you some valuable information - without going to the property yourself.
Posted By: retiredtom Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/23/22 02:54 PM
Yes...I can read a topo map. That's a good idea since I need to get familiar with the watershed for the pond.

Google Maps gives you a great satellite view although it is from a couple of years ago.
Posted By: retiredtom Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/23/22 03:02 PM
Originally Posted by esshup
Welcome to the forum!

Try calling these guys. I don't know how close you are to them.

https://lakework.com/

Update: These guys are very reasonable and appear to offer the services I need regarding the dam and overflow inspection. I'm waiting for go ahead from current owner.

What services would you purchase at this point in the process? I would really like to know the depth/average depth. What else do I really need/want to know before purchase?
Posted By: Sunil Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/23/22 05:43 PM
Some of these pond consultants/contractors can do topographical kind of maps of your pond basin. That's definitely helpful, if not essential, to know. You could achieve the same thing with a boat, string and a weight and a few hours of time.

You could have an electroshock survey done either now or sometime in the future. Much of what could be learned from such a survey could also be learned from hours and hours of fishing and observation. Both options put together give the best 'view' of the fish life in your pond.

Water quality tests could also be done.
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/23/22 07:13 PM
Welcome to Pond Boss. Good advice above. Greg Grimes with Lakework is a great guy.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/24/22 02:58 AM
I agree with the bathyspheric map and electro shocking of the pond. Before you have the pond e-shocked, talk with them and get an idea what type of fishery you want. Then during the electro shock survey, any fish that you don't want in your pond can be removed.

I would have the mapping done first because if the pond isn't deep enough to support the fishery that you want, you might not want to do the e-shock survey and punt the property before sinking more $$$ into it.
Posted By: anthropic Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/24/22 05:29 AM
Tom, I recommend a faster, more efficient way of mapping your pond depths than string & weight: A 12 or 14 foot bamboo cane poll. Mark off the lengths every, say, 2 feet, then poke it all around & record measures. As a bonus, you can grind it in to the bottom to check on composition (mud, sand, rock, etc).

Learned this from Overton's when they came out to deploy artificial habitat. And, for those of us who remember our first fishing "rod" as a cane pole, it feels good, too.
Posted By: Dave Davidson1 Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 08/25/22 10:38 AM
Anthropic,, I really like home made cane poles. I have some bamboo spotted and will make a couple soon for a neighbor.

I still have my heavy duty HSB cane pole with guides.
Posted By: BealyGood Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/06/22 12:47 AM
Hello. Just joined. I was googling for some info on building a dock and found this forum. Looks like a wealth of info. We are wrapping up a 5 acre pond build so lots of adventures and questions to come. Thanks
Posted By: Sunil Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/06/22 12:58 AM
Welcome, BG.
Posted By: Gerhardt Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/27/22 12:34 AM
Hey y'all. There's a pond on my dad's property, maybe a hair shy of an acre. It used to be well kept with bluegill, shellcracker, largemouth bass, and white crappie. Eventually while I was in school it was taken over by duckweed. Apparently everything but crappie and (inexplicably present) warmouth died. These two species somehow survived and established large, stunted populations. When I finished school I had time to mess with the pond. I dealt with the duckweed, started culling out the warmouth and crappie. I added bluegill, redbreast, fliers, a few bass and my absolute favorite fish the redfin pickerel.
I have been fascinated by redfin since I was a kid hearing stories about it. What literature that exists on this woefully understudied fish states that they require running water to reproduce. I introduced 40 sexually mature redfin pickerel into the pond. I have only seen 2 of these adults since last summer when I introduced them. However I have seen multiple juvenile redfin pickerel in the shallows. They did in fact reproduce within this isolated pond.
I am here to hopefully learn about pond management and share what knowledge I have acquired from my obsession with this (again) woefully understudied fish.
Posted By: esshup Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 09/27/22 03:52 AM
Welcome to the forum!
Posted By: Rcardin Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/15/23 04:27 AM
Hi everybody my name is Robert Cardin and I live in Evergreen, Alabama. I built a pond last year that once full should cover about 5 acres and be 12-13 ft deep at the dam. Alabama red clay is sticky but apparently it still lets water through it. Had it dry but couldn’t get any heavy equipment in to pack it before the rain started up, so we did what we could with a mini excavator (which ain’t a lot). Anyway it’s filling up better now but still got a good leak (about like a water hose running). On here to learn about pond stuff in general, stocking tips, management tips, ect. Maybe one day I’ll get the leak fixed and I can stock it again.
Posted By: FishinRod Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 04/15/23 01:04 PM
Welcome to Pond Boss, Robert!

Do you know exactly, or roughly where the leak is?

Maybe let the pond get to full pool (if it can) and then start a new post for advice on fixing your leak.
Posted By: Steve Mellis Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/14/23 01:55 PM
It turned out the property I put a down payment on in upstate NY had some federal wetlands on it preventing me from building - so I passed on that property and instead in March of 22 bought 79 acres in eastern PA that already has a 1 acre pond!
Posted By: ewest Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/14/23 06:02 PM
Good luck on the new place. The wetlands on the other property may not be US wetlands after the recent USSCT ruling on wetlands.
Posted By: SkunkedAgain Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/14/23 06:27 PM
Can you tell me more about the recent USSCT ruling on wetlands? I have a couple acres I'd love to dig new ponds in, but they have been considered wetlands and so I haven't dared do anything with that ground... I'm hoping you can tell me that I can dig me a baitfish pond and a good deep one that will stay full of water even in the dryest of years... Always wonder why they frown on doing things to your property that actually make better wildlife habitat... My current irrigation pond has more wildlife on it than rest of the lowland has combined... Love to see some reason come into how they deal with wetlands.. Sorry that comment just set me to dreaming.. Later J
Posted By: Augie Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/14/23 09:03 PM
Check this thread:

WOTUS discussion
Posted By: FishinRod Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/14/23 10:18 PM
Even if you are clear on federal laws, there are STATE laws that you must also follow!

Additionally, DO NOT take "legal advice" from internet forums. You might be able to take some valuable "guidance" from the forum and then talk to your local NRCS representative or a local attorney before breaking any ground.
Posted By: jludwig Re: Welcome to Pond Boss - 06/15/23 04:46 PM
Originally Posted by SkunkedAgain
Can you tell me more about the recent USSCT ruling on wetlands? I have a couple acres I'd love to dig new ponds in, but they have been considered wetlands and so I haven't dared do anything with that ground... I'm hoping you can tell me that I can dig me a baitfish pond and a good deep one that will stay full of water even in the dryest of years... Always wonder why they frown on doing things to your property that actually make better wildlife habitat... My current irrigation pond has more wildlife on it than rest of the lowland has combined... Love to see some reason come into how they deal with wetlands.. Sorry that comment just set me to dreaming.. Later J

Contact your local NRCS office.
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