Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Soil questions What the muck!

Got a simple ? I hope has a simple answer. I'm tryin ta make some spawnin area for BG in an old very neglected pond. There is about 6-8"s of muck, and I'm wandrein if I should put down some county road size gravel(cause that's where it will come from) before I dump out some concrete sand. Thanks in advance, Bob-O

Bob-O just a thought/question? What caused the muck? If it is from silt washing in (like a ditch or wash area) is that the best location in the pond for adding spawning material. LMB and BG avoid areas with lots of silt washing in on the location when selecting spawn sites. If it is to much muck then over time the gravel will sink in or be covered. Are there beds there already or is the whole pond that way? If you have an area where the muck is on hard bottom then you could scrape off the muck and add gravel and then sand to the point where it is higher than the surrounding muck area. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Ewest, this 4 acre pond is in a fairly deep depression, side banks about 20' high with a very steep slope. No run in streams, or silt introduction. It is in the middle of a heavy woods, and all the tree debrie has decomposed over the last 25-30 yrs It is an average of only about 4'. The only feasable access is a 2 track lane that was used ta get a boat in and out. At one time someone had something of a beach there, a little sand left, bout 3' out from shore. I'm gonna have ta take pick-up loads to it, as the lane is'nt even big enough for a dump truck. This is'nt even my pond, but the owner has given me free reign on it. He bought the property in the fall of 03, and honestly it literrally only had bout 8 small BG in it. We went out at night with a million power spot light several times. Had a severe winter kill the winter of 02. He and my son caught 6 17" LMB and bout 30 BG shortly after he got it, and put em in. Don't understand how they survived, but both species spawned in 04. There are now LOTS of 4-6"BG, and lots of 5-6" LMB. I know this is kinda crazy, but I want ta overpopulate with BG, so I can add several large LMB, CC and maybe ONE Musky. I'm not goin ta put much $ into a pond that I might not have privaliges to in a few yrs down the road. I did put in 75 CC 6-8", and 4 more 17" LMB, and one 10 lb CC, and 50 BG last yr. I just want ta get SOME big fish in there fer my 5&6 yr old grandkids. Ya don't have ta explain how screwed up the stockin plan has been/is, cause I know. But after readin bout Norm Kopecy, I figure anything is possible. Don't care bout balance or long term results, as I'm in the process of diggin two REAL small puddles, that I will try ta manage properly for the future. Just wanderin if a couple a tons of sand spread by shovel would be better suited with a base of small gravel. Bob-O

Bob-O that sounds like a fun prospect. I think I would go to an existing place in the pond where there has been past spawning activity (likely the old beach area) and dump out some gravel then sand then more gravel in patches around like beds and see what happens. Then move some more BG adults in (if you think you need more) and watch them all spawn. If you do take some pics so we all can join in the fun. Good luck.

Ewest, thanks, that was the kind of off the cuff info I was hopin fer. You're right, it will be fun, as it's just a trash pond now, so I can't hardly screw it up anymore. Hopin ta talk Cecil out of a couple YP egg strands just ta stir more stuff inta the mix. Hey, why not? I'm not able ta post pics as I've only got web tv, but I will keep postin as ta progress. Since my methods and desire are not only outside the box, but actually out of the room, it will be interestin ta see what develops. I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but always seem ta "get lucky", so I'm pretty optomistic that them boys will have some fun. Hell, they think catchin tadpols is great fun. Thank ya agian, Bob-O PS now ya got me thinkin (congrats, that's not a common thing), think I'll start keepin a journal bout what went in, when, and how big.

Bob-O,

If you don't mind hearing a different opinion, read on...if not, just skip my response.

My 2 cents...save your money and time and back and forget the sand and gravel. Why? 1) it isn't your pond so the investment is questionable, 2) BG will spawn anyway, they always find a way...maybe you will get more spawning with all that work, maybe not, but if you instead invested the money in some nice sized spawn ready BG and released them in the pond, you will get results much quicker, much easier, and without breaking your back. Save the back breaking for your own pond.

Find the best genetics you can find and buy the largest BG you can get (usually around 6 inches) and you will see immediate results in fish and take less Advil in the process and spend more time with those grandkids.

ooooo, Bob-O...ML presents a good argument. I can see the chaise lounge unfoldin' already! BTW, what do the G-kids call ya?...really!
G-hopper
(edit: so where does one get just one Musky...other than casting)

ML, your suggestion is very good, and I'll probably persue some good BG. Hope someone can recomend a good source near NE IN, NW Ohier (hint BC), or SE Mich. If Cecil ever checks his pm, I may be at his place tomorrow, I'm sure he has some tight info. However, I have more energy than sense, and will probably do both. Just today, I shoveled lots gravel out of the road ditch ta repair my driveway. As stated, I ain't the sharpest knife, but lucky enough ta live in a county where the maintance boys are dumber than me. LOTS of free gravel. Grettski, my grandpunks call me Bob-O, as all my "friends" do, which swells the old chest even more. As fer the chastity lounge, I'm way too young fer that. As Red Green says, "Keep yer stick on the ice", as Cecil says,"Keep yer line through it" Bob-O

....ME TOO (God, I hope...what a horrible way to go)

Well guys here's an update on the gravel/sand spewing in the swamp pond. Scraped up bout 3k lbs of road gravel, and pitched it as far as I could. Bout 12-14' radius half circle. Then got 3k lbs of construction sand ($9.00 fer the sand, and bout $300.00 fer gas) and did the same. Stirred things up pretty bad, and couldn't see results fer bout 4 days. When things cleared up, I'd gotten lucky again. Seems by hand spreadin the gravel, it sank in at different depts, allowing the sand ta settle in the low spots. I was very pleased, looks like someone knew what they were doin. Last Weds we had a major cold front headin in and I went down ta catch some bg fer bait. I know I said I want tons of bg, but it was pretty easy figurin which were males when ya pick em up and they squirt. Went ta the neighbors pond thats full of BIG cc, and 17-19" lmb. I traded him a junk ridin mower fer a total of 8 fish. Naturally, the bgs were hittin like Barry Bonds, and the predators were hittin like the Cubs. No new fish added ta the swamp. Oh, fergot ta mention the radius area was edge ta edge beds, all occupied. What happened today surprised me, but probably won't most of you. After the front moved in (high today only 45), and almost 4"s of rain in two days, ALL the fish moved out. The beds filled up with that nasty slimy lookin, pancake shaped crap that floats up from the bottom. I'm not discouraged tho, figure when it warms back up, they'll reclean em. Besides all the floatin crap sank, and it looks like a pretty clean swamp again. My son-in-law is comin up from Nashville, and since they don't have "real" trailer trash down ther, insists on doin some night catfishin. I'm sure they ain't got the feed bags strapped on yet, but gotta pamper the realitives. After all, he moved my daughter 400 miles away. Also, took the grandpunks fishin awhile back, and they think the swamp is the honey hole of NE IN. Can't wait till they hook up with real fish. Ya'll have a good weekend! Bob-O