Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Raising Forage and Bait Thoughts on forage pond.

Well, as it usually happens, I start off with too many projects for the season but this ones on top of the list this year.

I already have 2 ponds so why not have 3 right?

So, the good news is that it's already there or started I would say. It's in bad shape and has been taken over by cattail and algae. Currently there are no fish in it but the goal is to get some forage fish going to help the food in my main ponds.

Currently the size is about 45ft by 25ft and about 3ft deep.
My question to everyone is this... Given the start on it, what would be the best thing I could do for it.

I was thinking about FHM, and golden shiners in it since I am still trying to add these guys to an established pond. I thought the size would work OK but add some gravel/sand with some pallets and a small fountain for water movement.

In order to get the cattail out I'm going to just dig it out, should I consider increasing depth or size?

Hey TQ,

I have thought about doing this also, but here is my 2 cents.

1. Does it take a lot of upkeep and time for this pond? How much time and upkeep v.s. how much FHM's cost per pound each year??? Or just adding more BG to your pond for more forage would that be good enough?

2. If you do do this and it were me I would not put much of anything in the pond as far as pallets and such. Why you may ask. Well it's not very easy to saine around that kind of stuff. You want to be able to saine it as easy as possible. So maybe put the pallets on one side so when it comes time to saine you can do it easier!

Hey either way good luck and have fun with it. If your just wanting to do it for fun and its not about money or time then go for it and have fun!

TQ, I have one, though just in the beginning stages. I put 10 lbs. Shiners, and 10 lbs. of fatheads in, last June. I put in no spawning structure...BUT, the pond had receded some. Smartweed had sprung up around the edges. It rained and brought the level back up some, flooding the smartweed. I've had a wonderful increase so far. Not saying that once the smartweed rots away totally that wont change.

When the water temps hit the 70's the spawn should be on. You may think of ways to create spawning structure that is easily removed.I've read that plywood sections or flat styrofoam works well. Instead of seining you can just float some minnow traps with milk jugs. I've done that in the years past with the traps. You can get a bunch with little effort, unless you're planning to mass produce them, that should work for you.

I'd dig it out, considering your ice thickness for your area. Do the fountain for aesthetics mainly, not saying it wouldnt be good but not necessary. Fatheads survive with low dissolved oxygen levels. But if you have a fountain laying around why not?

Thanks for the input guys. I stocked about 750 BG between the two ponds last year and they seem to be doing well but since I have this small pond I thought why not make use of it. If nothing else, for bait to catch my flatheads in my catfish pond.

Seems like a pretty straight forward concept, dig it a little deeper, plan for some structure but keep it simple and not overthink it haha!

If you already have it then good luck!
Be sure that such shallow pond will soon be full with various plants. You will need some time to clean it.

I would want it more than three feet deep for those Ohio winters.

If you dig it out, dig it with a sloped bottom so as you remove/drain water, the low pool becomes smaller towards one end leaving shallow spawning structure on dry land. A smaller low pool will concentrate fish and allow easier seining. Pond as shallow can be good and bad. Good is it doesn't hold lots of water so partial draining will be easy and quick. Shallow as mentioned will allow it to have more weeds/algae. Shallow will allow it to be completely dewatered and left dry overwinter allowing decay of accumulated organics - bottom muck and minimizing fish parasites. Deeper at one end 5-7ft allows overwintering with less chance of winter kill.

Thanks Bill. Makes sense. The good thing is it already has that slope at one end so if I continue that I could dig a touch deeper in the other end. I looked it over some more the other day, the biggest thing I seem to be fighting is cattail in it right now. It has surprisingly little vegetaion in the center and very little algae growth. The frogs seem to enjoy it right now, I have big tadpoles everywhere in it!