Pond Boss

I got to contemplating this week - how many ponds do I need? What are all the different uses I could possibly have for ponds? Given unlimited funds, pond sites, and time, what different pond stocking schemes and goals could I come up with that I would be interested in trying? Writing down a list of my pond options has helped me prioritize my interests and plan for an eventual second pond.

How many ponds do you "need"? Think about it, and list them. Aside from conversation, I figure this is a useful exercise for figuring out what to do with extra ponds and providing esoteric stocking ideas for adventurous pondmeisters. (Did I say "extra" ponds? How silly – that makes it sound like you could have too many! :rolleyes: )

To assist in planning uses for different sizes of ponds, I have used the following rough size scale:
Extra Small (XS) = less than 0.5 acre
Small (S) = 0.5 to 1.0 acre
Medium (M) = 1 to 3 acres
Large (L) = 3 to 10 acres
Extra Large (XL) = greater than 10 acres

I figure I could get by with "only" 8 or 9 ponds. Here they are; the working names, sizes, stocking species, and particulars of all the ponds I "need":

1) Your Basic Pond – Size S or M
Species = FHM, Gambusia, BG, RES, CC, LMB, HSB, (GC as needed)
Feeding: Useful but not essential
Goal: "Balanced" pond where you have the chance to catch several different kinds of fish on any cast.

2) Big Bass Pond – Size M or L
Species = FHM, Gambusia, GShiners, BG, RES, LMB, (GC as needed)
Feeding: Useful but not essential
Goal: Growing big (but not necessarily "trophy" sized) LMB.

3) Big Bream Boys Pond – Size XS
Species = FHM, Gambusia, Male BG, Male RES (feed trained if possible)
Feeding: Yes
Goal: Fun, amazement, and prize stallion selection.

4) Forage Pond – Size XS
Species = FHM, Gambusia
Feeding: No
Goal: Forage and forage broodstock propagation, via seining/trapping, for other ponds.

5) Planet Redear – Size XS or S
Species = FHM, Gambusia, RES (feed trained if possible), LMB/HSB as needed, (GC as needed)
Feeding: Yes, if RES are feed trained
Goal: RES to transfer by catch/seining to replenish RES population in other ponds.

6) Hybrid Hotel – Size S
Species = FHM, Gambusia, HBG, HSB, (LMB as needed), (GC as needed)
Feeding: Yes
Goal: Fun and Food.

7) Hybrid BG Love Shack – Size XS
Species = FHM, Gambusia, Male BG, Female RES(feed trained if possible), HSB, (LMB as needed)
Feeding: Yes
Goal: Hybrid BGxRES to transfer by catch/seining to replenish pond 6 above.

8) Smallmouth Pond – Size M or L
Species = FHM, Gambusia, RES, (GShiner?), (BG?), (YP?)
Feeding: Probably not
Goal: Bronzeback Action.

9) Experiment 13 – Size XS
Species, Feeding, Goal: If I tell you, I have to kill you.
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So - how many ponds do you need (or actually, want )?

So, is it safe to assume that the average pondmeister, given the option, would always go for nine 1 ac ponds over one 9 ac pond?
For me, since I tilt the scales to the extreme of fish neophyte, would likely lean to one 9 ac "L" size (extra tall if available). Am I cold and lonely on this one?

I can't wait to answer this one! Only problem is the response could take me six hours to compose.

With unlimited funds and time, I would probably have to have a 10 or so acre one, a couple of one acre ones and a couple of forage ponds.

Large ponds can be lots of work and lots of heartache when they go wrong.

No, don't assume that, Brettski. We had a "discussion" on many small ponds versus one big one some time back. There are PMs sitting both sides of this issue, with lots of good reasons for their view. Including the only one that matters, "because that's what they want."

I am obviously of the "lot of small ponds" opinion. I suspect if we all truly had unlimited time, real estate, and funding (and, I guess, rainfall), some of the "one big pond" types would opt for "lots of big ponds." But we all have to accept real world limitations on all these varaibles, and pick the most optimal solution for ourselves based on what can be done in the real world.

I would love to have all the ponds contemplated above. By the time I got them all done, I'd probably think up some more. But my own internal compromise will make my second pond some combination of numbers 3, 5, 6 and 9 above.

Bruce:

Just take a laptop fishing with you and write in between casts. You could get 6 hours writing done in a couple of days even if you only managed a 10% duty cycle. :p

I fully understand the reasoning behind having numerous small ponds vs. maybe one large pond.

I prefer a larger pond for the aesthetics and the pleasures of boating to different locations.

For me, Theo, I'd like to have one Extra Large, one Medium, and two or three Extra Smalls for forage.

I generally prefer diversity, and a somewhat "natural" ecosystem. So having numerous ponds with only one or two species (except for forage) just does not float my boat. However, I do understand why others really like it.

Oh, and as far as "need" vs. "want," I'm sure most of us are real good at self-rationalization.

At my house, baby does not need a new pair of shoes; she needs a PH testing kit and a solar charger for her bug-o-matic fish feeder.

Theo,

I heartly agree with you that this is a worthwhile mental exercise...except when the exercise becomes constant.

For me, I no longer have questions on the matter of several ponds vs one large pond. Without question, it is several ponds for my situation.

Each person's answer depends on their individual situation.

Following your format, here is my list(and also my plan):

1) Your Basic Pond – Size M or L
Species = FHM, Gambusia, CNBG, RES, F1 LMB, HSB, GC (at preventive/maintenance levels), and Tilapia. (winter rainbow trout)
Feeding: Pretty much essential for HSB
Goal: Balanced pond where you have the chance to catch several different kinds of fish on any cast.

2,3,4,and 5) Predator Ponds – Size M or L
Species = FHM, Gambusia, CNBG, RES, F1 LMB, GC (as above), and Tilapia. (winter rainbow trout)
Feeding: Never
Goal: catch rate of 8 predator fish per hour with 50% probability of catching one fish of 5 or more pounds in that hour.(artificials/fly fishing by skilled angler).

6. Kidd's Pond - Size XS
Species: Gambusia, HSB, GG (or possibly HBG), GC (as above)
Feeding: yes, again to sustain HSB.
Goal: exciting trophy fishing for large pan fish to be used for hooking kidd's on fishing and re-energizing kid's at heart on fishing. Also, provide eating.

7. Experimental Pond - XS(Micro).
Feeding: yes
Species: Texas Rio's, Pacu, Rosy reds, Gambusia, koi, GG, Crappie, HBG, LMB. Tilapia (various kinds), Peacock Bass, and others.
Goal: Observe fish behavior and learn from it.

The only problem I had with your categories was the 3 to 10 acre one. I think there is a 3 to 5 category and a 6 to 10 category. All the predator ponds described above would fall into the 3 to 5 categories.

This combo optimizes on minimizing predator learning and PM labor, chemicals, and headaches and maximizing pond enjoyment (especially fishing). It requires about 15 acres of water in total.

p.s. winter time stocking of rainbow trout in all predator and basic ponds included

I want one more. I've got a spot in mind for a 2 acre pond. Just saving up until I can afford it.

We don’t need more ponds – we don’t have enough water to fill the 2 (M & S) ponds that we have...

The diverse fishery that we have currently achieved, with LMB, HSB, CC, CNBG, RES, CC, GC and Tilapia – who could wish for anything more...

Having more than even one pond is more labor intensive than I have the time or inclination to manage.

I’d rather be fishin'...

So we finally found out that size does matter.

I presently have four ponds. One about .62 acres acre and three that are about 1/10th acre. If money was no object along with ground water supply, I would love to devote three 1/10th acre ponds to brook trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout respectively. Or possibly better yet simply grade the fish by size into three diferent ponds. Fingerlings in one pond, medium in another and monsters in the third. There wouldn't be any need to move them around as one could simply rotate their functions once fish are harvestd from the pond with the largest fish. This would require more well flow compared to my 45 gpms right now to produce 100 or more large adult fish of each species annually for my taxidermy niche market. But then again I could potentially do this simply rotating two ponds if a tank was used for hatching and the first group of fish. I do have ample groud water in my area and it's said for large diameter wells in my area some can produce up to 2000 gpm.

Then I would have three more 1/2 acre ponds for largemouth bass, male bluegill, and mostly female yellow perch repectively. That would make a total of 6 ponds so far. Each of the 1/2 acre ponds would have much smaller ponds adjacent to them to put a handful of brood fish in to produce these three species annually vs. purchasing them. Once these three species of fish reached a couple of inches they would be crowded in tanks and feed trained.


So to sum it up three 1/1oth acre ponds, three 1/2 acre ponds and three much smaller ponds.

Cosidering there is no fish supplier in my area for pond stocking, I am eventually considering doing the preceding on an even larger scale. I have no doubt it could be very profitable if I added pond supplies, equipment, etc. and pond management. I do have dubbs on my neighbor's six acre field if he ever chooses to sell it which would be perfect.

I have made friends with a guy only about a couple of miles from me that has an artesian flow and we may work something out where he produces my trout on the premises in exchange for some adult fish for a pond he may dig in the future. It's not more than 25 gpms probably, but that is plenty to hatch eggs and produce trout fry and fingerlings.

My present experience on a small scale is providing any excellent oppurtunity to learn and figure things out before committing myself.

Some things look good on paper until you actually try them.

One thing that looked good on paper but in the real world doesn't work quite as well is overflowing the trout pond into a pond of the same size for yellow perch. Water temps are perfect but it turns out the nutrient load from the trout pond is quite high and creates a major sink for nutrients into this small pond. This is vs. when I ran it directly into a pond 6 times the size of the trout pond in the past. (.62 acre pond) Lots of filimentous algae, however, that may disipate once the chara comes back.

Sorry for the rambling but you asked!

Here's what I've got:

1. Large pond/potential trophy pond. This pond has 400 male bluegill, 20 male redears, 20 HSB, 1 largemouth, and one black crappie. This pond is 1.25 acres. It is very difficult to fish because of the low density fish/regular feeding setup. Some of the fish in this pond are scary-big. Probably has some bluegill to 2.25 pounds. Best part about it is that the fishing is so difficult that the in-laws don't even ask to fish it. I always tell them "come on out--the fishing sucks".

2. The mini-pond/horizontal aeration pond. This pond has female YP, male BG (specially selected), and female redears. This is my last, greatest attempt to create a combination of trophy fishing and good catch rates. This pond is about .15 acre and is a work in progress.

3. The reproduction pond. This pond is about .2 acres and has more specially selected male and female bluegill. I'm hoping the results of this pond will help to stock the others.

4. The empty pond. This pond is currently 0.0 acres and is waiting for somebody to come to my door and say "Hey, Bruce, I have 50 feed trained smallies that average 3 pounds that need a home. Will you please take them for free"?

5 and 6. The lined ponds. These ponds are both less than 1/10 of an acre. One has all of the age-1 fish from the reproduction pond last year that are currently learning the joys of pellet eating. Some of them are already 6 inches. I caught one last night. The other pond has a secret entity. I can't tell you what it is because I don't know myself.

This works out fine for me. I really like little ponds because I can drain and seine on a moments notice and start again. I'm a twisted pond addict.

I would be happy with what I have if I could only be closer to it...as in retireded.

Amen to that.

BTW, adjectives like unlimited, enough, etc. have just never connected with the nouns like money, time, etc.

My current ponds:
#1--18 ac contains most spieces found in Texas waters--LMB; CC; Crappie; Carp; Gar; Flathead catfish; Gizzard shad; CNBG; RES--feed daily fun to watch the cCrp and CC--Great fun to both fish and hunt fish

#2--5 ac--LMB; CNBG; Tilapia--2 feeders & 2 WM aerators--manage for quality bass fishing

#3--1 ac--LMB; CNBG; Tilapia--1 feeder & 1 ac aerator--manage for quality bass fishing

#4--1/3 ac-- CNBG --nursery pond--1 feeder & 1 WM aerator--great kid fishing--trap about 3000 CNBG each year--added Tilapia this year

#5--1/3 ac--CC; CNBG; Tilapia --1 feeder & 1 WM aerator--fish for CC and trap CNBG

#6--1/3 ac--CC; CNBG; Tilapia--1 feeder & 1 WM aerator-- CC fishing

# 7-- 2 ac--HSB; CNBG; Tilapia--2 feeders & 1 WM aerator--manage for HSB fishing

Curent project is to run 7000' of PVC pipe from water well to controll water levels

Tentmaker- Can I come and live with you!
Seriously I have a friend with a 18 acre lake that produces some excellent fishing. He caught 100# of flathead the other day the largest being 40#. The record flathead is 48#. The lake also produces 4-8# bass, excellent crappie, CC, White bass and carp. This lake has almost no management.

One well managed 18 acre lake would be enough to keep me happy!

I want a pond big enough where the fish can grow big, but not big enough to eat me alive

I'm like a beaver, where ever I see water running, I want to dam it up.

1 pond, 5 ponds, 10 ponds, 15 ponds? Whatever I can possibly cram on this hilly dry land.

PondsForFun--come by anytime you are in North Texas--the ponds are located 70 miles west of Weatherford--the 18 acre pond requires the least amount of management--the carp keep the water cloudy so minimal alge/plant problems--the CC reproduce and the gar/carp hunting in spring is great--the Lord has truly blessed me

It's a no brainer for me, I call dibs on Lake Fork (my LMB pond), and Lake Texoma (my HSB pond). You guys can fight over the rest

ML,

Where are you getting Peacock Bass?

Temtmaker- Thank you so much for your kind offer. If I ever make it that way I will stop by and you are welcome at my place. I am only 110 miles SW of Weatherford so we cant be that far apart.

Texas715,

Let's say I'm "in negotiations" for now.