Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Workin on 3 ponds and need help

We now have a better idea of what we have and what we want. I had the USDA out last week to shoot some points around the ponds and here is what we came up with. Due to the large timber around the ponds, we will not be able to raise the levels as high as I had hoped. Doing so would kill the pine trees and add another set of problems to the equation.

Pond 1. 2.5 acres max depth of 19'. Currently has LMB, BG, RES, White crappie. We would like this to be our pond managed for big bass. It currently has lots of small bass, 6-12" with an exceptional LMB at 18". Lots of 6-9" bluegill with an exceptional BG at 10". Only 2 RES caught, both 9-10". 4 crappie caught at 1 lbs each.

Pond 2. 2/3 acre with max depth of 8-9 ft. Currently has lots of small BG with an exceptional fish being 8". It also has shiners and I think some fathead minnows (not certain but I think we caught both). We would like this to be our pond managed for large bluegill.

Pond 3. 1/4 acre with a max depth of 7'. Currently has shiners and crappie. We will kill this pond for sure and start over with something. We are thinking catfish or forage pond, possibly another bluegill pond.

Pond 4. USDA guy said waste of time. We will not use it.

The only cover in the ponds currently is willow trees and brush that has grow up while the ponds were drawing down in the summer due to neglect and then floods during the winter. When pond 1 is full this winter it will have some flooded timber in the upper ends of it in 3-4 FOW. These are sycamores and I hope they live as the water level should remain in that area and not recede with the leaks being stopped.

I have read the threads on cover but I couldn't find how much of each for bass and bluegill per acre. I assume the amount per acre for each changes depending on the the management for big bass or big bluegill.

Can I stock some of the small LMB from pond 1 into pond 2 or should we get fingerlings? If so, what size?

We would like to stock some copper-nose into some or all of the ponds. We could stock fingerlings into pond 3 and grow them up then transport to ponds 1 and 2. Any thoughts?

Should we add some RES to pond 2.

How many bass do we need to take out of pond 1 to get us back to big bass and what size do we take? (We will probably have to start over at some point because of the crappie but for now we will just manage best we can as it is the only pond with catch-able fish in it.) Do we need to take out some of the bluegill and what size?

Any suggestions on pond 3 as to what to stock?

I am sure we will have more questions later, but thanks in advance for any help.

The problem with this site is there is TOO Much Info!!! Just kidding. I am having a hard time sifting through all the stuff to find the answers I know are already here.

OK, lets simplify the above. If I take 10-12" LMB from the pond that is crowded with them and stock them into the pond that is overcrowded with bluegill, will this help build a big bluegill pond? How many should we stock into the bluegill pond that has no LMB in it currently? We are after big bluegill in this pond.

The 10-12" range is what i found recommended by Mississippi State University in another thread. Will other sizes work as well

Yes it will help greatly. I don't remember the size of the BG pond, but I'd start with 50 or so/acre.

Thanks. Should not be a problem to catch and transfer them.

I agree with esshup's thoughts - add a bunch of LMB so they prey heavily on the BG population and I bet you'll start seeing good growth in the BG before long. Remember, though, that if the fish are stunted, their ability to grow will be somewhat limited (there has been a discussion or two on this issue), but the new generations will achieve their potential. As far as bigger LMB than 10-12", certainly bigger fish will not hurt the process, and in fact may help target some of the bigger, yet still stunted, BG swimming around in there now. I have a 1/2 acre pond that produces some pretty nice BG in the 9 - 10 inch range so far, and we have a ton of small-ish LMB with just a handful of more respectably sized fish that probably help quite nicely with culling some of the larger sized BG. Just remember to keep good records of what you catch and you'll find out soon enough if/how well the management strategy is paying off.

So... any smaller bass will work? We will start the transfer as soon as we head back to the farm. Thanks for the info. I will repost the other questions in the correct forums. I should have done that to start with but I guess I need to see it all together to get my little pea brain around it.

So... any smaller bass will work? We will start the transfer as soon as we head back to the farm. Thanks for the info. I will repost the other questions in the correct forums. I should have done that to start with but I guess I needed to see it all together to get my little pea brain around it.

thanks again

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