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Brad346 Offline OP
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Faced with the worst drought in history this year, I decide to finally build a dam that I’ve had permitted years ago. It was dry enough for the first time to really get into the draw and dig a deeper dead pool.

https://i.imgur.com/HS5XTyl.jpg

Just getting started.

https://i.imgur.com/KKWbeT3.jpg

Getting close.

https://i.imgur.com/UsZl1Jw.jpg

Ready for water.

https://i.imgur.com/EG0NavJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/GWbHcSj.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/827KvZZ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/dqWTVkB.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ATnVg9S.jpg

Dam is holding great. Loosing some water to the soil, but that is normal here. It will seal up in a year or so.

It probably has FHM already and will likely have GSF by spring as they are both in the pond right above it. Bluegill are going in next spring if I can get them.

https://i.imgur.com/O1kR9hp.jpg


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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[quote=Brad346]Faced with the worst drought in history this year, I decide to finally build a dam that I’ve had permitted years ago. It was dry enough for the first time to really get into the draw and dig a deeper dead pool.



Just getting started.



Getting close.



Ready for water.







Dam is holding great. Loosing some water to the soil, but that is normal here. It will seal up in a year or so.

It probably has FHM already and will likely have GSF by spring as they are both in the pond right above it. Bluegill are going in next spring if I can get them.




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Nice place, cool project, great looking results. Did you build the entire pond with only the backhoe?

I'm diggin' that dock, I've been pondering over building one similar to that.

Hope you don't mind that I embedded your pics.

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Looks inviting.

Be aware that GSF have a big mouth and if significant numbers come from the above pond or if they have several months to grow and reproduce they can quickly get to the point where they can easily eat nearly all of any 2" fingerling BG stocked. Been there done that as have a number of other members on this forum. I have actually trapped a 3.5"-4" GSF that had swallowed a 3" FHM and had the tail of the FHM hanging out its mouth.

So either be sure the larger size GSF numbers are low or have not had time to reproduce or used advanced size BG when you stock.

GSF essentially have the same size mouth as a comparable length LMB and therefore can eat a fish about a third their length. So a 6" GSF can eat a 2" fingerling BG

You may have already known that, but if not it can save you some grief by managing it.

Last edited by snrub; 11/15/18 12:46 AM.

John

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Brad346 Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: gully washer
Nice place, cool project, great looking results. Did you build the entire pond with only the backhoe?

I'm diggin' that dock, I've been pondering over building one similar to that.

Hope you don't mind that I embedded your pics.


Thanks for the help with the pictures. Someday I’m going to have to learn how to do that.

Yes, I built the whole thing with the backhoe. I did some of the finish and rock work with a skid steer. It was a story of time instead of money. 1 to 4 inch lifts depending on the moisture of the material. The dam is 11 feet tall, 240 feet long. 2 feet of freeboard. The drain is about 8 feet below the spillway. The total depth is about 14 feet.

The dock is fixed to steel posts I set in concrete before filling the pond. The wood was one of the bigger expenses. It is 8 by 16 feet long.

In total, I spent about $500 on diesel and grease, $450 for wood, and $500 for the drain and valve which is required by state law.


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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John,

I inherited GSF from another pond upstream. I never intended to have them. If any get in the new pond, they will be small. The water spreads out through the grass for about 100 feet before coming back into a channel. I'm hoping I can get bigger bluegill in any case, but it is challenging to source fish here.

I also have no problem filleting 5 inch GSF. They are tasty!


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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Brad, John knows that the GSF mutt is a superior fish. Yep, it’s a mutt but will out fight those panty waist bluegills every time.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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So, after months of reading on here and contact with the local fisheries agency, I know I can’t do what I want with this new pond. So I’m going to try to do the best I can given what I’m allowed to do. Stocking is very expensive here, so I want to do it riight the first time.

First thing I need is detailed tempature and dissolved oxygen readings for the surface and at depth. Does anyone have any suggestions for this type of equipment?

I also need a good scale. I want to do more management on my existing ponds.

I’d love to know how to make the pictures display in my posts, too.

Thanks!


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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Brad, the following thread talks a bit about posting pics here on PB...IF you post to the forums from PC (not a phone or a Mac)...

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=495132


Fish on!,
Noel
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Originally Posted By: Brad346


I’d love to know how to make the pictures display in my posts, too.

Thanks!
I'm sorry. I meant to reply to your previous post, but I was distracted by the holiday

After copying and pasting the picture's imgur link directly to your post, type this code [img] on the left hand side of the link, and then type this code [/img] on the right hand side of the link.

Like this: [img]insert link here[/img]

You can try this method by editing your original post. Simply add the [img] and [/img] codes to the links.

There's another way to embed pictures on this site using the "enter an image" tab on the "full reply screen" but it can be quirky... As described above, is the most reliable method I've found. Also, if you choose the share-link from imgur that says BBCode (message boards, forums) it'll include the [img] [/img] codes

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Ice out! A long snowy winter has finally given us a break and the ponds are opening up.



I saw several schools of FHM cruising the shallows. They are likely all that is in this pond now. Maybe some crayfish. I just got my stocking permit, so I’m going to try to add BG and YP this summer. I will likely inherit GSF from a pond upstream, but I didn’t see many after the drought last summer. The only predators I can have are CC, BC and LMB. I’m thinking of trying to single sex LMB after the BG get better established. Our water is cool enough that BG only seem to get one spawn.



I figure all this flooded sage brush should give the FHM lots of places to spawn.



Not much different from last fall.


This was taken above the upper pond looking down valley. All the water to fill the lower pond went through the upper, so I seem to have a pretty good supply of aquatic bugs already.


View of the new pond from up higher. Hoping to figure out a way to get some drone pictures soon.

Next project, sand for a swim beach.


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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Beautiful place Brad. The snow capped mountains make it like a postcard. With that tractor you will be able to work on all the shallow areas ever time the water level goes down. Looks like you could expand the surface area pretty easy if you want with out raising the dam any more. Good luck with you plans and we all look forward to more updates and pictures.


Nothing like seeing your bobber bobbing.
1 acre pond with LMB BG GSF BH CC and whatever else I can find
Not after trophies I just like catching and eating fish
Buddy R Hill


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Update on the project. Record snow year after a record drought. I’ll have plenty of water this year. Fatheads have gotten off a spawn. Fish stocking is delayed. As said, hard to get fish in western Colorado. Maybe next month. Initial stocking of BG and YP. We will see what happens, then we will think about a predator.


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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Looks like it is coming along really nice.


John

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Late summer update.

We have had lots of water this year, so it has been no problem keeping the pond full.



I have inherited GSF from the pond above as expected. The FHM got off a huge spawn before many GSF got in. It looks like the GSF might've spawned too. I was hoping to have my BG and YP in before GSF spawned, but I have not been able to get the hatchery to deliver. There might be some BG too. They were stocked in the upper pond a while ago, but the GSF definitely have dominated.



The junipers are dead, as expected. They should provide good structure for several years. One of the ones I left on a hump got pulled up by the ice. It politely stayed on the hump, but it is on its side.



The cattails are are starting faster than I'd hoped. I am promoting bulrush, as it has better wildlife values. I'm just manually removing the cattails for now. I'm about breaking even with an hour every couple of days.



Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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Looking really good Brad. I gotta say it: Just love our blue skies! 300 plus sunny days per year.

If you are not dead set on your present fish supplier, contact Scot Elder of FourCornersFreshFish.com. I got some fantastic adult bluegills from him 6 weeks ago. They are thriving, spawned immediately, have grown an inch or more on the average (7" to 8" when stocked, many at 9" now). He didn't have YP, but I didn't need them anyway. We are working on getting some pumpkinseed sunfish through another one of our forum members. You might consider some of them, too.

If you'd like more info on Scot's setup, pm me. He lives just about a mile from me.

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No, definitely not set on my supplier. This is the second time
I have said I want fish and he failed to show. I will check out your guy right now. Thank you for the tip!


Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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Web site isn’t working for me. Any additional contact info would be helpful!

Last edited by Brad346; 08/13/19 12:11 AM.

Brad
1.5 acre pond with LMB, BG, BCP, CC, FHM and lots of crayfish, unknown type. .5 acre pond with FHM and GSF. 12 acre irrigation reservoir that I don't know what to do with. New pond, roughly 1.5 acres. Pond Boss Subscriber.
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You have a very nice looking place their. Very peaceful looking. With a view like that the fish would just be a bonus. What you have created from dirt is something to be proud of.


The people who say I can't do it can just sit the @^#% down and watch me. Friends call me Rusto I also subscribe to pond boss mag. http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=504716#Post504716

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