Just put in a new pond so looking for advice and direction. The new pond is just shy of an acre and when filled would be 14 feet in the deepest region (having a couple of springs feeding it). It surrounds on three sides an older tiny pond I have had for 25 years that was great for the kids to catch a bass now and again. The new pond will come up and over into the old pond once it reaches 13 feet so the two ponds will then be joined or better described as the big one will consume the little one.

Having lost my son a few years back, I now have a little grandson to help fill the empty hole that was left in my heart and I want him to have a paradise to fish (prefer but not limited to LMB), canoe, ice skate, ice fish, and swim so he isn't setting in front of a hand held electronic device watching life pass him by. Starting early is the key - I have pictures of him trying to fish at just 13 months old out of his stroller - will post them sometime.

I am in the Finger Lakes of NY and we have already had frost a couple of nights. Definitely things are different for me here than many of you in warmer climates but if someone could point me in the right direction for some help on getting this pond off on the right foot it would be appreciated. I am sure there are many questions to get to that answer so ask and I will try to answer.

I am starting to make some artificial structure from what I already learned here.

Some of my questions are:

1) Where can I find a list of all the abbreviations used here? I can decipher some things like LMB and BG but there are a lot used and some I still haven't figured out when I am reading (I am sure I will feel like an idiot once I see what they stand for).

2) What would be the best forage fish (and how many) if the goal is medium to large size bass? I say medium as I want enough fish in there so the grandson doesn't get bored trying to catch just a few lure shy big bass but I don't want it over run with little bass. Maybe the BG or other specie (??) would be available to keep him happy?

3) I prefer to catch the bass from other places and stock the pond that way. I have learned already that it will have to wait until I get bait established. I am also planning to tag the bass to follow their growth (just a neat extra for the grandson to see and be part of). We have great fishing here and I can usually get a few 2-4 pound with the rare 5 lb LMB on any given day fishing other ponds and lakes here. If what I read is correct, I could sustain 100 lbs of prey fish so that would only be about 30 fish.

4) Due to the lay of the land I had available for the pond - it has very steep sides and 10-14 feet deep (they needed a lot of dirt to make up the dike so just kept going down until they got enough). I have read this may mean needing to aerate. More information on this would be helpful. I can get electric to the pond with a little cost and time if I need to. What happens int eh winter? Do you not run it or will it open up the ice? This would make for tough ice skating.

5) Again due to the steep sides (there is minimal shallow areas where the springs come in each side and the bank separating the two ponds) will spawning be an issue? For the bass and/or for the bait fish? They could always spawn int eh smaller pond once the two join each other.

6) Since it is spring fed and deep, can I stock some SMB? Is this not recommended? If not - what is the reason?


Overview of the pond from the house cupola.


View from driveway.


Right side facing east - note the small spring running - this is not leaking from the old pond - the old pond has not gone down. This area is also the spillway when the pond gets full.


Left side facing east. Note there is another spring that runs in on this side.

Thanks for the help,

Dan