Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat placing cover

I am new to the message board, just found out about Pond Boss magazine yesterday, and would like to ask a question. I am going to build a 1-1 1/2 acrea pond in Liberty Hill, Texas. I have several dead oak trees I want to put in the pond. Also, I am going to uproot about 20 oak tree stumps, I cut the trees down 4 years ago due to oak wilt. The pond's deepest area will be behind the dam and be about 16 feet. I want the center area of the pond between 6-8 feet. How would anyone recommend I place this structure?

Good morning, Dr. Denbar

I would recommend the following two tasks. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with navigation of the historical posts available to forum members. There have been several good threads in regard to this subject. Secondly, I would peruse the back of a Pond Boss magazine and find out which past issues have talked about structure placement. These old magazines are inexpensive and make great coffee table additions to any dental office. Unfortunately, the old issues are so nice that your patients will accidently walk off with them so you may need to order a couple of extras.

There are many helpful forum members who might be happy to initiate a new thread. I would but it is not my area of expertise. I just know that you'll find some real gems in the old threads. I make it a point at least once a month to go back to old information and see what's been said. It's timeless information. Good luck!

Bruce

Bruce:
I see ... Dentists put really good magazines in the waiting rooms, but light-fingered patients remove the best ones. Thanks for explaining that, Bruce.

For years now, I have mistakenly thought my Dentist felt publications like "Ferns Monthly" and "Balkan Dirt Diving Illustrated" were interesting. You have set me straight.

AM (nice handle): Your Oak trees (even the stumps) should make great, long-lasting cover. Not being a resident of the Great State of Texas (no Bruce, I'm not going to start that now) I assume they will provide wide spread (open-ish) cover favored by larger bass. You may also want to place some tighter weave/denser cover for small, forage fish.

It is generally recommended to 1) have cover in about 20% of the pond, 2) place it at various depths to accommodate different species/sizes of fish, 3) use it to provide "corridors" of safety from deep to shallow water, 4) think about how you will fish your pond and place the structure to enable your anticipated fishing methods (shore, small boat, float tube, ???).

You can find some great articles on pond management in general and cover in specific at BassResource.com - many of the best are reprints from Pond Boss. My one personal experience recommendation is that you take many, many pictures of your pond, showing the placement of structure and other features, before it fills (especially wrt landmarks/references above the final water line). You will find them invaluable to help locate everything after the water has covered them up.

Not to be picky or anything...but I believe it's "Ferns Quarterly". :p

AM,

Welcome to Pond Boss! Bruce and Theo offer good advice but I'd like to touch on the subject of the oak stumps. Either here or in the magazine, someone mentioned a unique use for uprooted tree stumps. They had the contractor "plant" them trunk first into the bottom of the pond. The resulting umbrella shaped root ball made for an excellent fish attractor. To facilitate placement, its best to leave the stumps a bit higher than normal when the tree is cut.

Bruce, I thought all dentists were "picky".

Russ

Welcome to Pond Boss AustinMartin,

I remember reading a few threads about the possibility of some trees leaking toxic tannins (or tanins) into the water. It can be very harmful to the water quality and kill fish. Do a search for such a subject and find out about it.

You'll find usually one question leads to another, but you're in the right place for answers.

As for the placement of trees in shallows for structure, placing them in a perpendicular manner is better than placing them horizontally. You keep your lure near them for longer and they don't roll down hill that way.

Excellent Point.

Another point is to position the root area furthest from the shore. Lures don't hang as badly.

If you have the choice, I'd actually put the trunk end near the shore. The reason being that it looks more natural this way. Plus, the trunk will be more visible for years to come (meaning you'll know where to throw a lure). Where as the smaller branches from the top of the tree will decompose more rapidly. If the root ball is still intact, chainsaw it off and have a nicely trimmed stump just out of the water.

The use of uprooted stumps for structure is excellent from another standpoint...they probably will never decay/rot in our lifetimes or even the next generations. Tree roots are virtually impervious to rot, and underwater, I suspect they will last indefinitely. I use one every opportunity I get. Great structure.

What in the dickens does nitro whatever thinking mean? Did you make that up?

Dave,

I'm disappointed in you...who is always the root of mischievious thinking on this Forum? Theo, of course.

"Nitro" refers to the nitrogen group, used in both explosives and fertilizers. "Syncretism" is the combining of several disciplines to achieve a new synthesis of ideas.

The origin is in these two posts:

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001910;p=2

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000345

Now I have to clean up the keyboard after reading your comment.

DD:

So many muffins, so few meadows.

You guys have an advantage over me. Those of us who originated from esotereic spots like Muleshoe, Texas have to sit back and think awhile about any big word of over 6 letters. Especially those that sound homemade.

After extensive pondering, it appears that ML is talking about contents under pressure. It further appears that the compressed chemical agent smells strongly of BS.

If you two ever get around my place at Bowie, Texas, please don't wade in the water holes. With no flushing rains, water is too hard to come by. Just one lousy pin prick on either of you could cause a nutrient overload having turrabul consequences. The pond would probably have to be pumped dry and restocked.

You guys are playing with fire and just don’t know it…
Mule Shoe, Texas is just down the road a piece from Dime Box.

Don’t ever “horse trade with a guy from Dime Box – let alone Mule Shoe…….!

Personally, I am prepared to be lynched if ever caught South of the Red River. But it would be worth it for the privilege of knowing such a great group of people.

Maybe everything isn't big in Texas, but your hearts and sense of humor certainly are.

Theo,

Come on down to my ponds, I'll guarantee you a safe passage. On the way back, however you will be on your own.

Don't worry, ML. If you get Theo down to East Texas, I'm sure we can get plenty of volunteers to escort him back North across the Red River.

Tar is no problem, but I am allergic to chicken feathers (Cormorant feathers would be OK).