Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,899
Posts557,082
Members18,451
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,414
ewest 21,474
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,110
Who's Online Now
8 members (homewardbound, Justin W, Sunil, DenaTroyer, Freg, Donatello, jludwig, catscratch), 756 guests, and 207 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#444289 04/17/16 10:41 AM
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
We bought this 33.5 acres in Kansas over the last couple years. I am an avid waterfowl hunter and fisherman. There is a 10k acre lake 1 mile south of the house, and after last May's record rain the eastern 1/3 of my property was under water due to a major tributary of that lake being just off the property. When the dirt work was done for our house I asked one of the contractors about digging a pond out there while the equipment was there. Nobody will give me a straight answer on price. I have a ditch that bisects on property on the south end. The outbuildings shown in the picture are no longer there. New house is in the NW corner and there is a tiny pond that never holds water in the NC part of the property. Basically I want a pond for waterfowl hunting (the property sits in a flyway) and fishing. Can somebody give me some pointers on how to get started?


Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,386
B
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
B
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,386
You may think having a hole dug while the equipment is there will save ya some bucks. Maybe or maybe not. There are plenty of folks here that hired a dirt guy vs a pond builder. BIG difference. You should talk to some locals with ponds about who did them, how well they are doing and a ballpark price. The more info ya get before the first dig is started will benefit you permanently.
If I were doing it I would consider two ponds. I think a fish pond would be very much different than a duck hunting pond. A duck pond should have different slopes and depth than a fishing pond. You could put them close enough together to have a permanent shooting blind/fishing equipment shed between the two.
You can establish food plots for ducks as easily as for deer. In fact the plots could do double to triple duty. Corn, beans, clover, Alfalfa and much more will attract Quail, pheasant, geese and lots of song birds as well.
Take your time and research everything thoroughly.
Good luck, document everything with a journal and lots of pics. keep us updated and ask lots of ?s


Do nature a favor, spay/neuter your pets and any weird friends or relatives.
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Most of the ponds around me the ponds have been there for decades. I have a well on the property the previous owner originally established for household use. If I know how much it could provide I could build a marsh and pump it. I am too busy right now clearing hedge and honey locust to do much else. I wish I had an updated satellite picture that shows how much work I have done with nothing but a chainsaw and strong back.

Buddy of mine used to build marshes/ponds for USFWS. He told me if I rented the dozer he would do the work for free.

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414
Likes: 792
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,414
Likes: 792
Water exerts about 1/2 pound of pressure for every foot of water depth on the pond bottom. So, a pond bottom has to be sealed better than a marsh bottom.

Typically it's recommended that the whole pond basin be compacted with a sheepsfoot roller in 6" lifts, for a total of 4 lifts.

Just like a bathtub, all you need is one drain hole not plugged and the whole pond will drain out.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 159
C
Fingerling
Offline
Fingerling
C
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 159
I had a equipment guy that had a dozer, backhoe and track hoe at my house to clear 2 acres and dig a 1/2 acre pond. I ended up with a 30 x 30 hole 12 ft deep with no slope. I had to leave it like that because they ran up a bill way faster than they had previously said.

Now I have been waiting on a pond guy for months because he is booked, but everybody says he does a great job.


3/4 Acre South Georgia Pond, 1,500 BG/RES; LMB coming soon

Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do.

Most powerful words ever spoken.
(Jesus Christ in Luke 23:34)
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
So NRCS got back to me. Site is conducive to a pond. Small drainage area of 3-4 acres. 30 yrd by 40 yrd modified pit. Would require moving 1800 cubic yards. Also require 60 ft of sbr 26.

Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Pond starts this week. Pipe was delivered today.
Also using the alternate site since it will support a larger pond with a lot more run off.

Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
Offline
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,344
Likes: 101
Sounds like thing are getting exciting for you. Best I can tell, pond life stays exciting!


Fish on!,
Noel
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Clearing trees today
[url=//s49.photobucket.com/user/dukslayer_25/media/IMG_1686_zpsu9zgwx73.jpg.html][/url]




Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Due to wet weather the pond was completed today. Its roughly 35x35 with a depth of approximately 12 ft. Not huge by any means, but it gives me a place to train the dog, hunt a little, and let the kids fish.

Going to be cutting down some nearby cedars and dragging them into it tomorrow.

Joined: May 2013
Posts: 74
Offline
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 74
Congratulations on the new pond. They can be a lot of work, but they can be a lot of fun too. Good luck.


2011 five acre pond. LMB, SMB, HSB, SPB, BG, CNBG, HBG, RES, WM, CC, BCP, GC, FHM, GSH
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
When I got home today they were loading up the last of the equipment. He thought it would be closer to 50yds x 50 yds but I don't see it just eye balling it. Got numerous cedars cut today and drug to the bottom. I have more to do tomorrow.

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
Congratulations on the new addition and welcome from a fellow Kansas resident.

I did very little with ponds or fishing four years ago when we built the pond near our house. Now rarely a day goes by when we are at home that I am not out to the pond at least once.

And have since built 3 more ponds!

They can be addictive.

Last edited by snrub; 07/09/17 12:18 AM.

John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Been busy. Bent the bar on the chainsaw not thinking. Made a couple rockpiles too. Not huge but my daughter was being a slave driver. Builder was down getting equipment. He thought it would be 60 yards across but I struggle seeing it. No rain in the forecast.






Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Final post in this thread. Got the bill today. $1400 under budget. Seeded jap millet all around and down into the pond. Come on rain.

Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 76
4
Offline
4
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 76
Congrats. I've enjoyed your project vicariously.
I train my dogs in our pond, swim and fish all summer, and shoot an occasional mallard in the fall.
Nothing quite so tasty as a greenhead from your own pond that went from retrieve to plate in 30 minutes.
And, please don't think you have to close this post. Keep us informed as your pond fills and then matures into what you have dreamed it will be.

Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Pond now has enough water the dog has to swim a little. Still a long way to go. Jap millet that is planted is making heads so maybe I will get to kill a few ducks on it this fall.

Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Need some rain. Water level has increased 6" from last post. Leave it to me to build a pond and start a drought. We got 1.3" early this week. Cracks in the ground around the house have closed. Predicting heavy rain Saturday. Hoping to finally get some runoff.

Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 109
C
Offline
C
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 109
Good deal waterfowler. We built a 2 acre pond in 2014 ive shot both dove and ducks on it. Like you, we are less than a mile from a major lake. However, our pond is pretty deep with very little shallow water so the majority of ducks are divers. Good luck this season, keep us in the loop how the millet and pond do!

Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
We had 4" of rain Oct 22. Since then zero moisture along with record temps and we are in drought status. Lots of wildfires. Pond maybe 1/4 full. Need rain

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
S
Offline
S
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 93
The good part about a pond filling slow is you don't get a bunch of erosion of the banks like you do with big rains.

Dry here is SE Ks too. Kind of a good thing for us as it gives good opportunity to rebuild terraces in fields, spread lime, and do any dirt work. But my ponds are about 6" low now and I prefer them to head into winter full.

Glad to see your pond get finished and under budget. Going to have a PBF get together next September at my place. Be sure to come if you can. You can't be terribly far away from me.

Snrub's PBF get together


John

I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
T
Offline
T
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,668
Likes: 57
We r supposed to get some rain here. 100% sun, 90% Monday and 90% Tuesday. I sure hope it is a frog floater

Last edited by TGW1; 12/01/17 08:37 AM.

Do not judge me by the politicians in my City, State or Federal Government.


Tracy
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
I wanted some water in it to duck hunt this year. We tried it once but no takers. We are listed as abnormally dry and no rain in the forecast.

Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
K
OP Offline
K
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 96
Likes: 5
Thought I would update. My old lab got the first retrieve (and her last of her career) on our duck opener last year. A beautiful drake wood duck. She passed this spring due to cancer and is buried down there.

This pond collects a ton of runoff. NRCS didnt know what they were talking about. Next drought we are talking about enlarging the pond to the south and the west.

Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470
Likes: 107
R
Offline
R
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470
Likes: 107
Sorry to hear about your dog. We just lost ours from it running out in the road.


The people who say I can't do it can just sit the @^#% down and watch me. Friends call me Rusto I also subscribe to pond boss mag. http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=504716#Post504716
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
Bob Lusk, GaryK, GrizzFan, PhotographerDave
Recent Posts
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by Sunil - 03/28/24 12:39 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by Sunil - 03/28/24 12:39 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 11:01 AM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Brooder Shiners and Fry, What to do??
by Freg - 03/28/24 09:42 AM
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/28/24 08:36 AM
Dewatering bags seeded to form berms?
by Justin W - 03/28/24 08:19 AM
Reducing fish biomass
by FishinRod - 03/28/24 08:18 AM
Questions and Feedback on SMB
by Donatello - 03/27/24 03:10 PM
2024 North Texas Optimal BG food Group Buy
by Dave Davidson1 - 03/27/24 08:15 AM
Freeze Danger? - Electric Diaphragm Pump
by esshup - 03/26/24 09:47 PM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5