I am getting ready to build a new pond, here in central Indiana most ponds that I fish and neighbors that have ponds are around 8-10'. I am thinking about 14', The pond will be about 1 acre or more, I want the pond clean (not fake blue) some nice rocks, good cover for fish, LMB, hybrid gills,a few catfish . I suppose I would like to take some gills to eat when they are of size.I thought about anchoring some christmas trees upright for some cover. also would put some fathead minners in, they need cover also to reproduce? What is the best way to keep most vegetation out, but enough in for good oxygen content? I realize this is a long post, but I want to do this right to begin with. Help on all issues please. Also will have a lot of extra dirt anybody from indiana need any dirt?

witty - All your questions have been answered before in many topics discussed here. Do some searching thru past topics. Click the word "search" at the top right of this page. Type in the subject you want to search for and select the heading (or Forum) you want to search under. Many topics have been placed or buried & hidden under unsuspecing headings. I would search most all headings for your subject to get all appropriate discussions. Search time will be short.

Hybrid bluegill have been discussed extensively and you probably do NOT want them in your pond; see pro and cons for tis topic. Hybrid bgill will not allow bass to grow very big. See discussion for explantations.

See lots of topics discussing "structure" in ponds for additional ideas.

Fathead "minners" (minnows) have been talked about lots of times also, read about them.

Search topic for- pond depth . since you are in Indiana with snowy winters and ice cover I would try to have at least 25% to 50% of your pond bottom / basin at 14ft.

Check around you might be able to sell your dirt, or do as I did and let someone else that needs it have for free if they have it loaded and hauled away. Saved me about 1000.00 of my pond construction since a local about 3 miles away needed it.

Bob