Hey guys, Man, am I glad I found this website and forum. I have found so much helpful information to help us in renovating our old farm pond. I have attached an aerial photo of what it looks like now. We are enlarging it and cleaning it out so that it will end up around 2 acres and end a dog-bone shape (see the 2nd attached proposed sketch). I haven't seen a pond layout design on this site yet, so I though I would ask for opinions on my layout/sketch...we plan to stock largemouth bass and bluegill. 1. where would you put a shallow area with pea gravel for spawning beds? 2. how would you design bottom terrain changes, ledges, points, drop-offs? 3. where would you pile big boulders? 4. if this was a blank slate, how would you design the ultimate bass pond?
I would not make the bottom smooth. It would have the terrain changes you mention. Rocks? Strung in a line from deep to shallow. Brush piles for small fish.
Bass? About 30 to 40 all female a year after the forage base is established.
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
Yep, this whole planning process has been fun. I have taken the sketch I uploaded and penciled in several designs with various points, drop-offs, structure added, shallows for spawning, etc. Has anyone seen any other examples or pond lay-outs or designs that they could post photos of? I was just hoping to find a couple of examples to look at that show how good "hypothetical" bass pond might be designed or laid out...
I have seen pond design sketches on this forum before, but I do not know how to find them other than wading through a lot of old posts. Maybe someone who made those sketches or remembers who did will see this and post a link to the old threads.
