Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat NEW STRUCTURE

I am starting a new 3/4 acre pond that will be stcoked with crawfish, golden shiners, fathead minnows, yellow perch, hybrid stripers and the main goal of BIG SMALLMOUTH. The pond will be basically a kidney shape with a pennisula 30' x 50' in the middle of the pond and 10' x 40' causeways on each end, the depth will be 3' - 10' with a 3:1 grade. The shore will be lined with 4" - 6" riprap (2' underwater and 1' above). I plan to add a channel (as wide as bucket on dozer) around the causeways and pennisula and adding rockpiles at the intersections of channels. I plan to add 3 - 4 skids with brick on corners as spacers / weights for FHM spawning, (5) plastic tubing bushes in 5 gal. buckets with 1" holes for bait to hide in. (5) Half log structures with concrete blocks surrounding for SMB spawing and tube bushed close by for fry. I will also have a small 4' x 12' wooden dock and plan to place 4 - 6 large PVC trees in key areas. I will stock crawfish, FHM and GS this fall or early spring depending on water level and YP, HSB and SMB next fall.


Does this sound like a good plan?
Any suggestions on GS spawning stucture?
Any input welcome.

Love the plan! As far as spawning structure for golden shiners, they spawn on aquatic vegetation in the wild so if you can get that established, or some artificial variation, that should work well.

Possibly thinking of adding dwarf lillies; just don't know how to keep them in check. I would like them to cover about 1/3 of shallow end 3' or less of water. Any suggestions on this?

The only way I know is to plant them in containers to keep them from spreading.

Hardy Lilies don't spread fast, so I don't think they'd cause problems even if they weren't planted in containers. RAH has some planted in his ponds, ask him or Bill Cody how fast they spread. Bill has some in his ponds too.