SE Texas Pond Renovation - revised. - 09/21/14 11:56 PM
My goal is for a nice quality LMB and CC pond. I thought I wanted some CC as put in / take out fish as well to harvest and eat, but after all that I have read, I am a bit skeptical. I have 2 little grandsons (1&2)and a little great grand daughter (2) that I would love to come out and learn to fish with "Pop". I tell everyone the pond is for them, but who am I kidding.......it's for me.
As mentioned in a previous post a month or so back, I have purchased a property in SE Texas with an existing pond. I'm not sure of the size of it...maybe a 1/4 of an acre at best. The water was clear but heavily stained. The pond was creek fed and the creek (Lime Creek) dumped into the pond as well as flowed around it. The pond was approx. 7' deep. I didn't try to fish it much, but did catch a few BH on a couple of occasions
Old Pond
The first order of business was to open up the creek beyond the pond, then dam up where the creek had fed the pond. A levee was cut the pond was allowed to drain in addition to pumping it down. It was amazing there were several LMB in the 2 lb range as well as some BG and small BH in the pond. I guess they came in with the drainage upstream I surmise, as the pond was primarily used to water livestock.
Draining and Damming Old Pond
The dozer and track hoe went to work mucking out the pre-existing pond portion as well as expanding to a size I guess to be about 3 times the original size. 5' of muck was removed in the process. We ended up moving 347) 14yd loads of earth in the process of renovating this pond. I cleared (brush hogged) land while the guys dug. We spread the soil on the brushed acreage as I will plant pine trees this winter.
Mucking out the Pond
Digging and reshaping continued and the pond was eventually completed. It is approx. 10+' on the deep end for 1/3 of the length, then tapers up to 8' for about a third, then ends up with a shallow end that supports 3' of water. I have added a feeder and structure in the shallow end, additional structure constructed with pallets and young cedar trees and sunk near the deep end. 5 gal. buckets with hoses (artificial trees) at 6-8', and perforated gutter drain hose pyramids at 3'. I got most of the ideas for constructing all the structure from reading Pond Boss.
Expanding the Pond
About 3/4 Competed
The night after the pond was finished, we had a 7"+ rain and the pond filled up to the point of breaching the levee. I went out that Friday about noon and got the dam overflow level cut and commenced to getting the pond drained down to the desired level. In my haste, I cut the overflow off too short and ended up having to run to Lowes to get an extension to put in place. The pond was muddy as can be, but there was nothing I could do about that at that time. Suggestions from this site has given me some much needed patience and reassurance that all will be ok in the end. The pond has been starting to clear up, and I believe it will continue to do so as my rye grass comes in.
Pond Completed and beginning to clear up.
I was unsure of when to stock fish, and got some great suggestions from the members here on Pond Boss for a forage base. With a pH of 8, I made a trip to Overton's and Todd was gracious to let me in the gate early to pick up my forage fish (CNBG & FHM)before the August Texas heat got to the pond. I picked up 400 CNBG and 10lbs of FHM. Todd Overton is a class act and was very helpful. I look forward to my next trip over to pick up my RES this fall, then my LMB and CC this spring. Thanks, to all on Pond Boss, that help me with this endeavor. I don't just read Pond Boss Forum....I study it!. I've been reading this forum a long time and finally decided to post this project.
Charlie
......thanks, esshup for the posting tips....
As mentioned in a previous post a month or so back, I have purchased a property in SE Texas with an existing pond. I'm not sure of the size of it...maybe a 1/4 of an acre at best. The water was clear but heavily stained. The pond was creek fed and the creek (Lime Creek) dumped into the pond as well as flowed around it. The pond was approx. 7' deep. I didn't try to fish it much, but did catch a few BH on a couple of occasions
Old Pond
The first order of business was to open up the creek beyond the pond, then dam up where the creek had fed the pond. A levee was cut the pond was allowed to drain in addition to pumping it down. It was amazing there were several LMB in the 2 lb range as well as some BG and small BH in the pond. I guess they came in with the drainage upstream I surmise, as the pond was primarily used to water livestock.
Draining and Damming Old Pond
The dozer and track hoe went to work mucking out the pre-existing pond portion as well as expanding to a size I guess to be about 3 times the original size. 5' of muck was removed in the process. We ended up moving 347) 14yd loads of earth in the process of renovating this pond. I cleared (brush hogged) land while the guys dug. We spread the soil on the brushed acreage as I will plant pine trees this winter.
Mucking out the Pond
Digging and reshaping continued and the pond was eventually completed. It is approx. 10+' on the deep end for 1/3 of the length, then tapers up to 8' for about a third, then ends up with a shallow end that supports 3' of water. I have added a feeder and structure in the shallow end, additional structure constructed with pallets and young cedar trees and sunk near the deep end. 5 gal. buckets with hoses (artificial trees) at 6-8', and perforated gutter drain hose pyramids at 3'. I got most of the ideas for constructing all the structure from reading Pond Boss.
Expanding the Pond
About 3/4 Competed
The night after the pond was finished, we had a 7"+ rain and the pond filled up to the point of breaching the levee. I went out that Friday about noon and got the dam overflow level cut and commenced to getting the pond drained down to the desired level. In my haste, I cut the overflow off too short and ended up having to run to Lowes to get an extension to put in place. The pond was muddy as can be, but there was nothing I could do about that at that time. Suggestions from this site has given me some much needed patience and reassurance that all will be ok in the end. The pond has been starting to clear up, and I believe it will continue to do so as my rye grass comes in.
Pond Completed and beginning to clear up.
I was unsure of when to stock fish, and got some great suggestions from the members here on Pond Boss for a forage base. With a pH of 8, I made a trip to Overton's and Todd was gracious to let me in the gate early to pick up my forage fish (CNBG & FHM)before the August Texas heat got to the pond. I picked up 400 CNBG and 10lbs of FHM. Todd Overton is a class act and was very helpful. I look forward to my next trip over to pick up my RES this fall, then my LMB and CC this spring. Thanks, to all on Pond Boss, that help me with this endeavor. I don't just read Pond Boss Forum....I study it!. I've been reading this forum a long time and finally decided to post this project.
Charlie
......thanks, esshup for the posting tips....
