Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help removing dead trees in pond?

I'm new to the forum and fairly new to ponds (2014). There's clearly a good deal of wisdom here, so I'm hoping this group will have some good advice.

I have a 3.5 acre pond in Central Texas that I believe was built in the late 1970s. (See the photo below.) It seems healthy and there's a good population of fish that we are working to manage as we learn more. Our problem is that two sections of the pond are filled with large, dead hardwoods. We are very happy to have them as habitat below the water. But we would like to remove the tops -- the parts you can see -- to make the pond look better. We have tried several things, including trimming what we could reach when the water was low, using comealongs and even taking a chainsaw into a canoe (something I would rather not repeat). I would love any advice you have on how to remove them and on whether we should let the removed parts sink to become habitat or remove them from the pond. I don't want to use chains to pull them out by the roots because I worry that could create a leak and destroy good fish habitat. Thanks for any advice you can share.

[img]https://www.dropbox.com/s/4z9g3mf6xuhqy5y/2015-05-16%203%20of%204.JPG?dl=0[/img]

Do you get ice cover? Is it thick enough to safely walk on?

Other than going out during thick ice, no other ideas. I have been in a canoe with a running chain saw... Yeah, I wouldn't do that again either. Gets your heart pumping though.

Nice looking pond.

Cmm

Could you borrow someones pontoon boat to work off of? Something a little more stable and can stand on. Once the tops are cut they should float. Tie to them and use a tractor to pull them to shore. You may not have a way to launch a pontoon...maybe build you a small floating deck. You could use it for a dock later. Would come in handy for many things.

CMM - if central TX gets enough ice to walk upon, we'll have significantly more important issues at hand with which to deal than standing timber! The end is NIGH!

I have the same thing but a lot more trees and brush.... It is a haven for ducks and great for the fish...... Beautiful place you have, I'm not sure I would change anything.... But that's just me

I agree with Pat,

My ducks and fish love them.

I vote to leave them in the water as is.

I do tend to agree with Pat... I think it gives the pond character.Just watch for rotting limbs falling if you tie up to one. Has happened to me more than once on Toledo Bend Lake.

I would pay to have some of those in mine. They look awesome.

Timber above waterline may provide aesthetic value depending on your personal perspective, but also serves as perches for cormorants, pelicans, ospreys, eagles, etc. I understand both sides of the issue - and your desire to cut them at the waterline is what Mike Otto recommends to his customers.

If you choose to cut them, I second Flame's suggestion using a stable platform - a floating dock moved with trolling motor sounds like a good approach.

I concur with the wisdom stated above, I wouldn't touch a thing unless my lure got hung in one.

Ryobi battery chainsaw right in the water. Go as deep as you can dive.

I would go with a telescopic polesaw. Like this one, with a cutting head that swivels, allowing for up to a 90 degree cutting angle. I suppose you might even be able to stand in a boat, swivel the head to 90 degrees, and simply push down against a limb a few feet underwater and cut it off. Either way (below or above the water) you and the engine stay dry, and you've got some distance between yourself and what you're cutting.

http://www.efcopower.com/products/pruners/ptx-2700

I would too, but fully understand that some don't like the look. Others will say the standing timber attracts unwanted herons, etc..but even if it didn't I betcha they still would not like standing timber. It is simply a personal choice. I grew up fishing Sam Rayburn, Lake Fork, Caddo Lake...so I love standing timber and could live with any of the potential negatives about standing timber. .

It is totally a 2EachHisOwn.

If you're going to do it, the pontoon boat platform would
seem like a good choice as far as operating a chainsaw at water
surface level or below as others have suggested.

I have one entire section of my big pond that's got a good bit of standing timber...I've been slowly cutting it to the waterline over the years. I've mostly done it from the ice, but a pontoon boat works as well. Just be careful which way you're felling, hate to sink your boat.

Thank you all for the advice -- and the perspective to view them as a positive rather than a negative. I think I will follow dlowrance's plan to cut some to the waterline bit by bit, Flame's suggestion to find something stable to stand on and all of the suggestions to leave some for birds and character. I appreciate the thoughts and the help!

That amount of trees in a pond or lake is minimal and adds to overall habitat, when considering overall habitat keep in mind ~20% of your pond is needed for habitat. Those trees depending on depths could possible benefit you, if it was me I would think about not cutting them all down and use them to enhance that area for your fishery.

Also in conjunction with that, I agree with Highflier and pat about using them for ducks. Your pond can be used for multiple species and not just for fish but for everything above it. Teehjeah is correct about the cormorants limit their ability to preach on the trees--note on that, If you see 1 or 2 there do all you can to discourage them from staying around. Those are called sentries and when they find a food source they tell the rest. That can spell trouble for your fishery.

Love to hear how this continues...