First and foremost I want a pond for general enjoyment, visually attractive and to provide an enhanced environment for all wildlife in the area. I would like very much to be able to fish the pond and catch a variety of healthy fish. I am not looking for trophy class fish, just fish that are healthy, fun to catch and allow us to have a meal of fish from time to time over the years. I would like to have bass and sunfish but I am not dead set on having catfish, I thought they were a normal part of a healthy pond, appears from your comments that they are not "required" for a healthy pond.
We built the pond now to allow it to fill and for us to start to get fish established ahead of building our house on the property in 2012. We have 77 hilly acres that are 100% woods and had to clear a site for the driveway, house site and for this pond. All that excavation work just completed, now I am focusing on the proper steps to a healthy pond.
