Thanks for the advice Bob,
The goals for the pond are to enhance the fishery for brim with the payoff being a increase in the quality of the bass population.
I aquired this property less than two years ago. The ponds are essentially in the same conditionas when I originally purchased them. My time and resources have been spent on the construction of a weekend cabin (now finished), roads and a shelter. Other than the construction of concrete ramps and a few brush piles the ponds are unchanged.
The ponds are the result of aggregate mining. The main pond is composed of a dozen or so interconnecting canals that vary from 50 to 75 yards in width are 200 to 400 yards in length. To get a mental picture if you have ever fished the big lake at Bienville plantation the topography is similar. The lakes are approximately 20 years old. The bank is covered in lilly pads. The depth of the canals vary from 5' to 15' Structure is abundent, cover other than the lilly is minimal. The pond are clear although, we finally got a naturally occuring algae bloom 2 weeks ago. The size of the lake is 42 acres, however approx 30% of that area is land and islands that seperates the canals.
The other pond is more traditional in form,approx 25 acres it has flats and a short creek arm, underwater humps and less deep water. Once again good structure minimal cover, no lilly pads. But it does have slender naid. Bass and green sunfish for sure I suspect crappie and cats, but haven't taken the time to fish.
The last pond is ultra shallow 4-5' loads of five year old cypress trees and slender naid and a few lilly pad. No structure loads of cover when the trees mature. Small bass and better brim maybe 8 to 9 acres. This pond is used primarily for dog training.
At present the bass population is healthy in #'s and quality. The brim population is lacking in all ponds but the cypress pond. The only brim I've seen caught have been green sunfish no blue brim or redear. The catch rate is such that I can usually catch more bass on artificials than my wife can catch brim with crickets or worms. In my mind she should be catching 5 brim to every bass I catch.
I no this is a sin on this board but I haven't checked my alkalinity, although I ASSume it to be low. The cost involved in liming and fertilizing I beleive would be prohibitive. Feeders and some additional stocking would appear to be amore viable alternative.
The ponds are located near Laurinburg. In Bennettsville, SC approx 30 miles form Laurinburg. Please feel free to e-mail me a professional consult may be just what I need.
