Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Should we add structure???

We currently have an 8 acre spring fed pond in southeast Nebraska. I was wondering if we should add structure and if so what types. We don't have a lot of structure. One bank is sandy the other three are muddy. North end has a rocky edging than runs into shallows with a mud flat both it is only a foot deep, the south end is the same. Our west bank is sandy. Our east bank has mud drop-offs and fallen trees the ledges have holes in them where cat fish hide. Should I add structure to benefit bass and make lmb fishing better.

I attached a pic.

The rule is 20-25% in habitat of the surface area of the pond, or in your case, 2 acres. This habitat can and should, imo be a variety of materials. Artificial for winter, when weeds die off, big wood for spring warming, shady habitat for cooler temps. In the summer heat.and natural weeds/vegetation. Boulders and rubbble are also beneficial for most fish. See past posts, tons of great ideas to make or buy.

Yes ! The % coverage varies but depends on your situation. Usually around 10%. See this archive thread on structure methods and pics.

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463

In your other post you mentioned crappie, and a shad problem.. I think adding structure will just multiply your problem..

The crappie have almost completely died out. We haven't caught any in two years.

That's a first.. Crappie usually ruin ponds with over populating..

We used to catch them all the time and now we can't catch them at all

I have that same problem with my neighbor's pond. I used to catch 30-50 of them easily each trip but now all I catch are BG.

I have been told repeatedly in NY that Black Crappy wont over-populate a pond, the season is too short for too many spawns up here. Perhaps some environmental issues over the past few years have given the BG a leg up on the competition, and the BG wiped out the Crappie.

Since Crappie only spawn once a year, I wonder how much knowledge that source really has.........

Plus they do better in cool water than other sunfish.

Yeah, I re-called on this issue, and I misunderstood. The assumption is that because the generally cooler climate that the spawn rates are lower... not as much brood. Largely though it is not understood why BC do not pose any problems in upstate NY.

Even so, I may switch to Pumpkin Seed, simply because I find them as a pretty fish.

FWIW...From a guy with water similar or colder than upstate NY, the BCP will nave no problem over populating your pond very quickly without intensive management.

Intensive management is not what I have time for. Thanks. Only good thing I see about them is the good eating.

It is irritating to get such a broad range of information (and misinformation), though I tend to discount the people selling me these fish rather than the free experts here. If they span that fast, the fish seller likely sees that as a low-cost money-maker for him.

I've been doing the BCP thing now for 8 years and for my goals and love of pond management I couldn't be happier. The statement of "..it all depends." fits here real well, imo. For some pond owners in your area they may be working fine for their goals and your fish seller is basing his recommendations from those experiences.

Or, like you stated, he's just trying to sell an excess inventory of fish he can't get rid of

I will mention again that I was sold way too many fish for my pond. Of course I did not find this site first. Now maybe they have had success with their stocking methods or maybe they just want to sell fish and that's it.

Either way Crappie probably never should have went in my pond regardless of type. Of course I like the fish and would have wanted them, but had I been told of the dangers of adding them I may have changed my mind.

We had one pond on the property that produced some wonderful crappie years ago, but not is so low and full of muck I am not sure even the tilapia have survived.

If I am able to get at least one crappie to the size we had in that pond I will be happy. I think the LMB and CC are keeping most fish at bay but next spring will be the true test of what I have in the pond and this winter could play a large role in that as well.

Thanks