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Hello all. Got a question I was hoping some would help me out with. Below will be the layout of our pond that will be going from .4 acres to .8+ acres. We are making this into (hopefully) a good fishing pond with mainly bass. Question is where would yall put some structures at and which structures would you put? I have unlimited access to pallets and will be cutting down several trees around the property including 3-5' cedar trees that I was thinking about putting in cinder blocks/5 gal buckets with concrete to weigh them down. Should I put rocks anywhere? We are not sure how deep the existing pond is yet (going to try to figure that out this weekend). 
Last edited by Mdodson461; 01/14/16 09:45 AM.
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Glad to help. Understanding the "what" and "why" are important. Much more so than any of our opinions on what you should do. Start here for ideas - Structure/Cover archive. http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463
Last edited by ewest; 01/14/16 11:24 AM.
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I've read through that forum, well mainly just looked at the different structures I can build.
But lets think about it this way. If this were your pond and you had access to pallets, cinder blocks/rocks, small cedar trees (as well as other logs that will be cut down), and artificial PVC trees. Where would you put them?
Also along the east bank I have a couple of trees that are currently there. We will be digging them out but what if I left them and just dug around them? Think that would make a good structure?
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Considering you may not even be 1 acre...most should be probably no deeper than 8 ft. Most of that should be 3-6 ft. You need thick cover shallow for small fry to hide. I have pallets stacked 5 high and 3 ft. apart from each other. I have 6 of these in a row in about 5 ft. water. As the pond level fluctuates they will use whatever part of the stacks they need. I drive stakes down right beside each stack and screw them to the pallets to keep them in place. There is an old saying that 90% of bass live in 10% of the water...near the banks. You must have plenty of cover for your bait fish to breed and hide.They will be what feeds your bass. These are just general guidelines. Good luck with your new pond and welcome to the forum
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Dead trees are much better lying down as habitat compared to standing up with basically the trunk in the water. Twigs from trees will decompose relatively quickly leaving only the branches larger than 2" after 5-8yrs. As mentioned, Fish in shallow water need the densest cover as refugia. When predators are present small fish are primarily in some sort of shallow water. IMO put most of the structure within casting distance of shore. Many place structure from shore trending towards deep water which serves as travel paths from deep water to feeding areas in shallow shoreline areas.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/14/16 01:40 PM.
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Thanks for the input guys. I definitely plan on putting any type of structure within the casting distance and in the 3'-6' of water. Sounds like I just need to cut those couple of trees down along the east bank and let them fall into the water.
My plan is to put these structures out when the water is low after they expand the pond then go out and set my structures and get a drone to fly over and take pictures so I know where each structure is when they are underwater.
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 We are throwing these away at work. They are display racks for shingle samples. Do you think this would work if I took small branches and zip tied them to it? I would lay it on its side.
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Here you go - lets go over P = pallet structure T B = BG bed T = tree  Those wire rccks will work great along dam if you cant do pvc balls. Keep in mind that ditches or shelves/steps in the pond bottom are very good. For example a shelf/step along the island edge rather than a gradual slope.    
Last edited by ewest; 01/14/16 03:14 PM.
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Thanks ewest! That is exactly what I wanted you guys to do, examples just like what you gave. Thanks!
BG is bluegill correct? Now where you put BG bed would you just leave the bottom the way it is just surround that area with cedars?
And what would you do along the beach? I do have some pea grave left over from a previous project.
Last edited by Mdodson461; 01/14/16 04:12 PM.
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B is BG bed. See pic above for idea.
If you plan a beach there are threads here on what and how to.
Yes put a few cedars around BG beds to aid in BG fry survival.
In deep water add vertical pallets to a pole or post. Can use one flat for bottom and 2 or 3 nailed end to end for vertical height. Like an upside down T with one on bottom and 2 or 3 end to end for height. You can attach limbs , cedars or pvc etc to the pallets for additional effect.
P = upright pallet structures.
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If you like fishing from the dock, consider placing some under the dock and within casting distance of the dock. If you will be swimming from the dock, don't put it where you will bash your head into something while diving in.
I would consider the places you want to fish from primarily and place fish attracting structure accordingly.
Dense structure to protect YOY fish in shallow water.
Place at least some structure in deep water. Without aeration it will not be used in the summer months but will be during winter.
Those are just a few of my ideas. Fish structure is kind of like picking a wife. Some basic general rules may apply but also a lot of personal preference involved.
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Thanks snrub. Yeah the wife says no swimming in the pond. I'm sure I will at times but it will mainly be for fishing and looks.
I do plan in aerating at some point.
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Cody--refugia? That's a new one to me. But, you've educated me before.
Eric--Well done on the structure. I like that.
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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Cody--refugia? That's a new one to me. But, you've educated me before.
Eric--Well done on the structure. I like that. I get what he is saying Dave. I have a saltwater aquarium and I put a refuge in my sump where little pods and good algae can grow. Pods can grow in there and not have to worry about getting eaten by the fish in the display until I take the algae out and throw it in the display and then the fish go to town.
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I'll bet that you will have BG spawning where the pea gravel gets placed, if it's in 18"-36" water depth.....
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I'll bet that you will have BG spawning where the pea gravel gets placed, if it's in 18"-36" water depth..... I can definitely place it in that depth. Just trying to see what everyone would do if this were their pond.
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DD1 - Refugia is the plural of refugium (noun). These are common biological or ecological terms and terms used in the medical and legal professions. They can have several generalized meanings depending on the use of the word. the terms can be used in a larger ecological sense that encompasses a large geographical area or a small area such as in a pond or even tiny micro-habitats where bacteria find refuge. In the application that I used refugia above, it meant areas where special environmental circumstances (dense cover or structure) have enabled a species or a community of species (small fish) to survive after extinction in surrounding areas (open water areas). Dinosaurs apparently were not able to find refuge to survive their eventual extinction, although some 'ancient' animals managed to survive. Webster's proper use of refuge and refugium http://hegel.lewiscenter.org/users/mhuff...ugerefugium.phpBroad globial use of the term: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refugiumAcademic discussion and broad use of the term refugia http://www.americanscientist.org/bookshelf/pub/setting-the-record-straight-on-the-refugia-hypothesis
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/15/16 11:31 AM.
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Heck, I knew what it meant. Just never seen it before.
Actually That's kinda rude. you oughta know that Texans don't use over 2 syllable words. I would have called that stuff hidey holes.
Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 01/15/16 11:31 AM.
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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I figured you knew what it meant. It was mainly for others to help them understand some of these terms. Part of my 'high paying job' here as moderator is to help keep things here technically &/or biologically correct and all within reason or common sense.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/15/16 11:35 AM.
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I'll bet that you will have BG spawning where the pea gravel gets placed, if it's in 18"-36" water depth..... I can definitely place it in that depth. Just trying to see what everyone would do if this were their pond. Be aware that shallow gravel covered pond bottoms where light penetrates grows wonderful crops of FA. I ended up digging up my "beach" with a backhoe to make the water drop off quicker because of the FA. That and I found everyone went swimming off the dock instead of the shore anyway. I made a gently sloping area covered in gravel for the little kids to wade into the water. They put on their floaties and jumped off the dock. And the FA went bezerk in the area so no one wanted to wade in there anyway. But my pond is very fertile. One not so fertile a beach might be ok. In my spawning area which is shallow with gravel, the BG take care of the FA as needed for their nests.
Last edited by snrub; 01/15/16 12:05 PM.
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If you are not going to have people swimming then forget the beach. instead use the gravel to make BG beds - see pic above.
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Filamentous Algae, pond scum, aka moss that looks like long stands and wads of cotton candy or green hair wigs a constant pest in most all ponds. Some ponds are constantly plagued with tremendous amounts of FA that is often seen as large or massive floating sums on the surface. These floating scums always start growth attached to the bottom then in later stages break loose and float to the surface.
For examples try googling this:
Pond Boss forum filamentous algae images
So when it appears you will know what to call it instead of bad names.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/17/16 04:07 PM.
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Ewest, just a note on my success with gravel spawning beds.
I built an area specifically for spawning with water from 2-5 or so feet deep and lined the bottom with various size gravel. The first year it was not used at all and the FA grew in it something terrible. I drug a lot of it out with a rake. The second year I used a backhoe and deepened the near shore part thinking the fish were not using it.
But that year (I think maybe because the BG males were bigger????) they used the shallow gravel area a lot. Not the part near shore I dug out of course, but the rest of the area was filled with BG nests. I actually got some video of them on the nests in the summer.
So my point to the post is, just because your spawning area does not get used right away, does not mean it will never get used. Don't know if it was just different conditions in a different year, or maybe my BG males got big enough to overcome the FA starting to grow from the bottom. But they used the area all spring, summer and fall this last year.
Last edited by snrub; 01/17/16 07:49 PM.
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Ewest, just a note on my success with gravel spawning beds.
I built an area specifically for spawning with water from 2-5 or so feet deep and lined the bottom with various size gravel. The first year it was not used at all and the FA grew in it something terrible. I drug a lot of it out with a rake. The second year I used a backhoe and deepened the near shore part thinking the fish were not using it.
But that year (I think maybe because the BG males were bigger????) they used the shallow gravel area a lot. Not the part near shore I dug out of course, but the rest of the area was filled with BG nests. I actually got some video of them on the nests in the summer.
So my point to the post is, just because your spawning area does not get used right away, does not mean it will never get used. Don't know if it was just different conditions in a different year, or maybe my BG males got big enough to overcome the FA starting to grow from the bottom. But they used the area all spring, summer and fall this last year. Interesting....I have a small plateau probably 8 feet from shore (deeper water near shore and on the other side of the plateau). Every square inch of the top of the plateau was covered with BG nests last summer. None on either side.
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