Pond in Huntsville, TX - 09/07/16 02:16 AM
Hello guys,
I'm new to the Pond Boss forum! I've been a magazine subscriber and passive viewer for a while....but am just now getting around to posting.
My dad and I own a 200 acre property near Huntsville, TX (1 hour north of Houston). The land is mostly heavily wooded, and we are primarily focused on deer and other wildlife/game animal management...but second in line to that is to create two different ponds on the property, each with different objectives. We have sandy loam soil throughout the property, with some clay and gravel once you dig down 4-6 ft. There are countless ponds and large lakes in the area, which suggests the ability to hold water is good.
Pond #1
We have a small "creek" on the property, which is actually more like a ditch, that drains probably 75-100 acres of watershed. It is roughly 4 ft. wide and 2 ft. deep at the widest point (farthest downstream) and has water for a week or less after a heavy rain. It originates only a few hundred feet off our property, and we do not have to worry about any other bodies of water upstream contributing bad things to our pond. We are planning to build a pond somewhere between 1.5 to 3 acres on this "creek". We understand that the creek may not contribute enough water to keep a pond this size full, so we are willing to put a well/solar pump at the site. The theme of this pond will be a trophy largemouth bass pond. Here are a few things I am thinking for the design/stocking plan:
- Lots of humps, ridges, peninsulas
- A "shelf" approximately 3-4 ft. deep all the way around the perimeter, going down to various depths in the middle (perhaps 8-14 ft.)
- Numerous man-made structures for bass cover (pallets, PVC trees, rock piles, dried hardwood trees, plastic 1/2 culverts, etc...)
- Bring in mixture of pea gravel and slightly larger aggregate to create bedding for bluegill (with carpet or other material underneath to prevent sinking of rocks)
- Initial stocking of fathead minnows, freshwater shrimp, gambusia, coppernose bluegill, and crawfish (letting them establish for 2 years before adding any predators)
- After 2 years of forage fish establishment, then stocking 100% sexed all-female bass (approx. 1/4 lb each) at a rate of 25-30 per acre.
- Supplemental feeding of trout and tilapia for the bass, as well as pelletized feed for the bluegill.
Pond #2
On the opposite side of the property, we have a natural low area that drains approximately 40-50 acres of watershed. Here we would like to build a combination duck/catfish/bream pond. Ideally, this pond will be 1 to 2 acres in size, with roughly half of it being shallow (2 ft) area capable of being drained and planted....and the other half being deeper (6-12 ft). Here are a few things I am thinking for the design/stocking plan:
- Another 3 ft. shelf around the perimeter of the "deep end"
- Shallow area will be located at the mouth of the drainage area into the pond (opposite side from dam), to allow for filtering of silt and such
- Bring in mixture of pea gravel and slightly larger aggregate to create bedding for bluegill (with carpet or other material underneath to prevent sinking of rocks)
- Initial stocking of fathead minnows, freshwater shrimp, gambusia, coppernose bluegill, and crawfish (letting them establish for 2 years before adding any predators)
- After 2 years, stocking channel catfish and hybrid bluegill
- Supplementing with pelletized feed
So that's the gist of it!
Please let me know what you guys think of my plan. I'm sure there are many, many things I am not thinking of. I have read a bit about the subject, but I am far from being an expert by any means.
This may be my only chance at doing this, so PLEASE don't hold back with the advice. I welcome any and all comments and constructive criticism.
Thanks & God Bless!
I'm new to the Pond Boss forum! I've been a magazine subscriber and passive viewer for a while....but am just now getting around to posting.
My dad and I own a 200 acre property near Huntsville, TX (1 hour north of Houston). The land is mostly heavily wooded, and we are primarily focused on deer and other wildlife/game animal management...but second in line to that is to create two different ponds on the property, each with different objectives. We have sandy loam soil throughout the property, with some clay and gravel once you dig down 4-6 ft. There are countless ponds and large lakes in the area, which suggests the ability to hold water is good.
Pond #1
We have a small "creek" on the property, which is actually more like a ditch, that drains probably 75-100 acres of watershed. It is roughly 4 ft. wide and 2 ft. deep at the widest point (farthest downstream) and has water for a week or less after a heavy rain. It originates only a few hundred feet off our property, and we do not have to worry about any other bodies of water upstream contributing bad things to our pond. We are planning to build a pond somewhere between 1.5 to 3 acres on this "creek". We understand that the creek may not contribute enough water to keep a pond this size full, so we are willing to put a well/solar pump at the site. The theme of this pond will be a trophy largemouth bass pond. Here are a few things I am thinking for the design/stocking plan:
- Lots of humps, ridges, peninsulas
- A "shelf" approximately 3-4 ft. deep all the way around the perimeter, going down to various depths in the middle (perhaps 8-14 ft.)
- Numerous man-made structures for bass cover (pallets, PVC trees, rock piles, dried hardwood trees, plastic 1/2 culverts, etc...)
- Bring in mixture of pea gravel and slightly larger aggregate to create bedding for bluegill (with carpet or other material underneath to prevent sinking of rocks)
- Initial stocking of fathead minnows, freshwater shrimp, gambusia, coppernose bluegill, and crawfish (letting them establish for 2 years before adding any predators)
- After 2 years of forage fish establishment, then stocking 100% sexed all-female bass (approx. 1/4 lb each) at a rate of 25-30 per acre.
- Supplemental feeding of trout and tilapia for the bass, as well as pelletized feed for the bluegill.
Pond #2
On the opposite side of the property, we have a natural low area that drains approximately 40-50 acres of watershed. Here we would like to build a combination duck/catfish/bream pond. Ideally, this pond will be 1 to 2 acres in size, with roughly half of it being shallow (2 ft) area capable of being drained and planted....and the other half being deeper (6-12 ft). Here are a few things I am thinking for the design/stocking plan:
- Another 3 ft. shelf around the perimeter of the "deep end"
- Shallow area will be located at the mouth of the drainage area into the pond (opposite side from dam), to allow for filtering of silt and such
- Bring in mixture of pea gravel and slightly larger aggregate to create bedding for bluegill (with carpet or other material underneath to prevent sinking of rocks)
- Initial stocking of fathead minnows, freshwater shrimp, gambusia, coppernose bluegill, and crawfish (letting them establish for 2 years before adding any predators)
- After 2 years, stocking channel catfish and hybrid bluegill
- Supplementing with pelletized feed
So that's the gist of it!
Please let me know what you guys think of my plan. I'm sure there are many, many things I am not thinking of. I have read a bit about the subject, but I am far from being an expert by any means.
This may be my only chance at doing this, so PLEASE don't hold back with the advice. I welcome any and all comments and constructive criticism.
Thanks & God Bless!