Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site wanting to build a pond

I highly recommend reading the last 6 issues of Pond Boss Magazine. Mike Otto has an excellent pond building article in each issue. For titles see Table of Contents (Index) of each issue in Product Sources at the bottom of this forum main page.
There will be a big difference in pond cost between a pond build from a dammed ravine or a completly dug out pond. Cost will be based on the amount of cubic yards of dirt moved. Get estiments and check several of his referecnes. Look at his work, older and recently built ponds.

I doubt that the price you get for your bass boat will buy very much land AND also build a 3 - 4 acre, well, construced pond. Expect to pay 10K - 13K per acre if the total hole has to be excavated. In N. IN, you want 25% - 35% of the surface area to be 15 to 17 ft deep to minimize winter kill of fish as the pond gets more than 15 yrs old. Lower cost, economy ponds often leak and are big, big, headaches. A well built leak proof pond is well worth the extra money. Give me a smaller water-tight pond any day vs a larger leaking pond.

You will find out over time, that raising large bass is almost as much fun and as challenging as catching them.

One acre is considered by many as the minimum size for a good LMB fishery, but Bass can be easily raised in 1/4 acre. You just cannot raise very many larger bass in 1/4 acre without adding lots of outside food. .