Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose New Pond Recommendation Smallmouth

Been raising SMB for several years, here's what I've learned:

Would not create beds on pond bottom of NE clay pond, they will work at first but after a few seasons they will silt in over time and become buried under silt/muck/organic material and become lost/useless. Elevate beds using pallets and cinderblocks on front end [if you have a steep slope] per my post/photos somewhere in the forum. Ring with cinderblocks horseshoe shape keeping front open. On pallet place plastic mesh 1/2" - 1" [wider the better allowing silt to flow through and not accumulate] and add 1-3" rock for bed 2"+ thick - not gravel. I do not recommend gravel, it will become very compact and does not allow silt to flow through beds, silt will accumulate on beds. Further, per Cody coarse rock allows eggs to remain oxygenated and prevents siltation which can smother them. Suggest using 1-3" rock for beds and cinderblocks for bed ring.

Blocks are better suited for bed ring as they won't roll/move. I would identify the area of the pond receiving most wave action and place the rocks on shoreline to help prevent erosion. Better suited for that IMO than making bed ring.

Learned this the hard way through trial and error over 8 seasons of SMB reproduction - elevated beds in NE clay ponds is the way to go.