Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? pond on property

There are four ponds on property all separate space of land between each is the size of a drag line. The ponds were built in the late 50's early 60's. Over the years three of them are dry in summer. One is fed by a small spring and although water is limited when very dry to just the spring area there are fish in this one. The other three ponds used to have water and fish in them up until probably 1990. One of the ponds would like to make deeper and really manage it for some decent fishing. Each pond is only probably a acre in size. They are probably 50 yards long and probably 25 yard across each one. My uncle dug the ponds years ago and we do not have drag line anymore. We do have a bulldozer though and can get access to an excavator. These are just ponds holes with water. We are in southeast Georgia and we call them bar pits. I would like to dig one of the dry ones out and start brand new and stock some fish to catch. Is this as easy as just getting excavator and go to digging. There was water before in them so I know they will hold water. The pond that has water in has a mixture of all kinds of fish. mudfish, jackfish (redfin chain pickerel, I have caught some small bass, tons a stunted growth bream, I assume the the top predator is the jackfish since some of those are over 2-3 lbs. That pond used to have bass, bream, catfish.

Welcome to the forum. If each pond is 50 yds by 25 yds, those are approximately 1/4 acre in size.

it might be wider than what I was guessing. like I said all the ponds are right next to each other and could very easily be connected. you think that might be the best way.

I don't even know enough to even begin to answer your water conservation/ pond construction issues but I do have an opinion about 1 pond verses 2.

IME, I have more fun with two 1/2 acre ponds than I do with a 1 acre pond. I have so many more options to "play" with when managing multiple ponds. If it were my place I would not connect them unless I had no choice.

Well years later I got some channel cats and but them in the pond and some bluegill. They have been feed for two years gonna try over Christmas to catch a couple. Hopefully they will be decent size they look decent when feeding off the pellets for sure.

Happy fishing! I suspect you have some 3 pound plus CC easy. If you get a chance, measure and weigh a few and report back.

Bill D.

ok the fish was put in the fall a little over a year ago. got a bite every cast. Bluegill were about size of hand and since the pond had some fish before caught one nice warmouth bigger than a hand. But most were ones we put in and were hand size. Catfish were right about 11-13 inch and I would guess maybe close to a pound. But they would hit top water which was fun I guess from all the floating food they been eating. They were all very fat fish. hopefully by next year they will be decent size.