Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations What are the possibilities for this pond?

I am looking for land in Wisconsin that has or will support a trout pond. My objective with the pond is primarily to raise larger trout. I am currently looking at a piece of land that has a trout pond and wanted your opinion on whether is has real possibilities or whether I should keep looking. Secondarily was interested in knowing what will be some of the management requirements such as aeration, etc. Here's what I know about the pond:
- 3/4 acre surface area
- 12 feet at the deepest, average around 8 feet
- Spring fed at 50 to 100 gallons per minute
- Very little tree cover
- Location, southwest Wisconsin

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Ladd,

Is this 50 to 100 gallons per minute obvious as in a flow in point or it is supposed to be on the bottom of the pond? I assume there is a least that much outflow.

What kind of information can you get other than it is a "trout pond." Can you get an idea of how many fish were planted and harvested etc?

My first thought is 50 gallons per minute is not high enough of a flow for a 3/4 acre pond to keep it cool enough in summer. However 100 gpms would be. You may be limited on how many trout you can hold if you don't feed them.

Cecil, the 50 to 100 gpm is the obvious inflow from a spring uphill of the pond. Not sure what the outflow of the pond is but should be something greater than the 50 to 100 as you say. 150 fall fingerlings (rainbow) were planted 2 years ago. No subsequent stocking or harvesting. I understand from reading the board that you use well water to get appropriate flow during summer. I am assuming I could consider a similar approach here to supplement the spring.

I greatly appreciate the reply.

Ladd, what type of pond is this? If it is a man made or excavated pond, it would be unusual for it to have a 12 foot maximum depth, but an eight foot average. The rule of thumb is that the average depth is about 40% of the maximum in excavated ponds. The reason this is important is that it would have a large impact on the water volume contained therein. Both Cecil and I have some experience in managing water temperatures through well water injection.

Why would it be greater than the inflow? If anything it may be a little less due to seepage and evaporation unless I'm missing something which definitely happens on a regular basis.

How about some fishing to check for survival? If they made it through at least one summer than you should be set to go temp and oxygen wise.

No other fish in the pond? If there were any other predators in the trout pond, fingerlings wouldn't have lasted very long.

Yes, you could augment with well water if necessary. What would really be nice is if you have a propensity for artesian well flow (which you probably do, due to the spring) you wouldn't have to do any pumping. You would have to talk to a geologist or a well driller to find out what kind of potential you have.

Bruce, the pond is dammed and excavated. It sits in a small valley and was originally dammed. Not sure how deep it was at that point but the slope of the valley is fairly steep. Later, the pond was excavated. I calculated the average depth from what I do know which is the surface area is 3/4 of an acre and the volume is 2,000,000 gallons, or so I've been told.

Cecil, I was thinking that outflow would be greater due to runoff. I wasn't thinking about how much would be lost due to outward seepage and evaporation. The pond was excavated 2 or 3 years ago and stocked only with trout. No other species. There are definitely trout in the pond. 12 to 14 inches. Not sure how many though. I've read here, though, that newer ponds may hold trout but as they age, may not. Is this a concern in this case? If so, what should I be looking for in addition in a trout pond. Larger, more spring inflow, other?

Thanks again.

One of the smartest things I've heard a forum member say is when Cecil informed everbody about how much more manageable a small pond is for big trout than a large pond. He should know....he's raised world class fish in tiny ponds! Brook trout and yellow perch to die for!! Have you given any thought to the possibility of creating a smaller pond, like .08 acres that would flow directly into your bigger pond? This would allow you to supplement your bigger ponds water volume and manage the really little pond for huge trout. It would sure give you some flexibility. Depending on the lay of the land, it is possible that another really small dam could cost less than the electricity to pump enough water volume into the big pond to influence temperatures.

Just a thought...

LR,

Bruce is absolutely right. Some very good points.

I forgot all about run off. I told you I miss things from time to time!

I'm not a big fan of run off in trout ponds. Could warm up the water and add sediment in summer. I've setup my trout ponds(s) to preclude any run off. (Raised birm around edges.)

If you had a smaller pond say 1/10th acre that received 50 to 100 gpms you could easily grow out some real pigs with a carrying capacity of 600 to 1200 pounds in an earthen pond. My one pond is 88 by 59 feet by about 9 feet deep (1/10th acre). Volume is 111,000 gallons. Inflow is about 38 gpms 7 months of the year. (No need to run well water in winter). I use a diffuser most of the time except during the day when temps are above 80 F. Pond doesn't get above 65 F. all summer with this inflow. I took out over 500 lbs. of brook, brown, and rainbow a few years ago before I drained it to start over with all brook fingerlings. (Didn't want any big browns left to eat the brookies) Biggest rainbow has been 9 lbs. 9 oz, biggest brown over 11 pounds, and biggest brook 6 lbs. 4 oz.

I pulled a dead brook trout off the bottom today raking weeds that could have gone 7 lbs. It was beyond taxidermy. I almost cried. No more others helping me fish out the pond. I've had some guys lose fish and they end up dying on the bottom. No more! Most fish out ponds will not allow catch and release for this very reason.