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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100 |
This site is truly a one of kind resource for all things ponds all people interested in private waters. I am new to posting here but I have spent some time reading through several threads full of great info. I have recently finished renovating an old commercial catfish production pond in Alabama. It will now be a spectacular fishing destination (that is if the 2 year drought is really over). I am going to try to post some pics here of the project ( first time, bear with me!). This pond started out close to 9 acres and ended up @ 10.5. It will be eventually stocked with F1 LMB, CNBG, SC, FHM, and GC. This first pic is some excavating in the early going if I posted it correctly.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,966 Likes: 276
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,966 Likes: 276 |
Howdy and welcome to the forum, HH!
Sounds like a great big wonderful project.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100 |
Thanks Theo It has been a big project. Lots of work, but loads of fun. We increased the depth buy a foot by adding a new stand pipe and increasing the levee height by a foot. The levee was in pretty good shape except for some expected erosion on the inside slope. The new shoreline was also reworked to achieve 4' depth around the entire lake. original lake bottom with shoreline work in the background peninsula being built shoreline excavation the dead tree will become LMB structure before long!
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,490 Likes: 265
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
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Welcome to PB. Great pics. Will the bottom be flat like a catfish pond or are you adding structure/ditches , humps etc. ?
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
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Hi ewest Just got back to my post from helping out with our newborn baby girl! To answer your question, yes there is lots of structure and cover in the bottom. I had the equipment operators leave a series of trenches and plateaus in the clay as they were excavating for dirt to use in the levee and shoreline work. There is a lot of sand in some areas so most of the clay came from one area of the lake which caused most of the expansion to 10.5 ac. I also dug a network of trenches extending from the peninsula in different directions. I left the dirt from the trenches in large mounds spaced out along the trenches. There is a corner of the lake that is @ 3 ac that will be 4-5' deep. Here I dug trenches and hauled this dirt to the deeper areas to make 3 underwater islands that will extend to 3-5' from the surface. I came back and used demolition (brick and block) spoil and wood to add cover to all of these features. Here are some pics of the shallow water trenches. Uh Oh, baby Reagan calls! I'll post more pics later.
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 120
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 120 |
wow this is going to be a really nice finished project it looks like. please keep us updated and new photos coming. thanks happy fishing.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,490 Likes: 265
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,490 Likes: 265 |
Very nice work !! You will be glad to have some deeper water in those ditches. I may copy a few of the pics for the structure archive.
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 151
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 151 |
AMazing work. This will provide me with ideas when I eventually get a pond built. I can't wait to see more pics as progress continues.
RB
Future Pond Boss
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 6,934 Likes: 2 |
Exceptional project, HH...quite an undertaking. Very impressive. What are some of the depths as they relate to the surface area. You describe one area of about 3 ac that is 4 - 5 feet deep. What about the rest?
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100 |
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame Lunker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 7,099 Likes: 23 |
Welcome to the forum! You certainly know how to make an entrance!
ABSOLUTEY BEAUTIFUL PLACE!
VERY jealous here!
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,025 Likes: 1
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,025 Likes: 1 |
Welcome to the forum! You certainly know how to make an entrance!
ABSOLUTEY BEAUTIFUL PLACE!
VERY jealous here! plus 1
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,261
Ambassador Lunker
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Ambassador Lunker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,261 |
GSF are people too!
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,051 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,051 Likes: 277 |
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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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100 |
Dave if you log out and go back to the forum list and look under the pond construction grouping you will not see the "renovating a pond" forum listed. If you are logged in it appears there. No big deal, was just wondering earlier.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,973
Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,973 |
HH, looks like your doing a great job, if you need anymore advice feel free to contact us. Next would be checking water quality, liming if needed and good stocking plan according to your goals. Goood luck!
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 100 |
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,902
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,902 |
If lime is needed, it's a whole lot easier to add it now! You could have your soil tested.
Pond Boss Subscriber & Books Owner
If you can read this ... thank a teacher. Since it's in english ... thank our military! Ric
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,074
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,074 |
Lots of work.Looks Great.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3 |
Another project to make us envious. It sure looks fantastic. With the storms, has it been filling up?
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,712 Likes: 3 |
Hi guys Anyone know why this forum only shows up on the list if your logged in? I hadn't noticed this until this afternoon at work when I tried to check a post I made last night in the "Renovating a Pond or Lake." Moderators -- can you check this also? Like HoneyHole, I can't see this particular forum unless I'm logged in (I usually don't log in at work). Here at home, where I'm logged in whenever the computer is on, I don't notice it. This appears to be the only forum I can't see when not logged in. (Isn't this a relatively new forum that got added after switching to a new server several months ago?) Thanks, Ken
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,490 Likes: 265
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,490 Likes: 265 |
I don't know but will forward this on to Bob.
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10 |
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Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
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