Hi, my name is Rob Cromie. My wife and I are closing on a piece of property near LaGrange Texas. It has 4 tanks on it from 1.36, .95, .15, .07. I am sure the two smaller ones dry up in the heat and dry of summer the .95 is only 2 years old and the 1.36 was said to hold water even through the horrible doubt we had here in Texas last year. I want to know your thoughts about what y'all would do with these ponds?
I am not sure at all what is in them. I did take a friends kid out there two weeks ago and on the first cast with a spoon we caught a 14" crappy and on the 5th cast we caught a 14" bass.
As of two weeks ago, 5/1/13, The water color in the large one (1.36) seems great, green with about a 12-20" visibility. The almost 1 acre one (2 year old?) is yellow mud color? I will want to clear that up!
So...... Questions and some of my ideas, then y'all can tell me how hard this is all going to be, and or how wrong I am.
Also just a FYI I do have a small pond (1200 gal) in my back yard that have had for 3 years and have grown Koi from 5" to 30" they were a TERROR on the plants! I only put lilies in for parties but had to do it like an hour before or the little rascals would chomp all the leaves off by the time it started, they even figured out to push the pots off the stands and they had no vegetation in the water! My mom helped me out with them,,,,,,,,,,one day when I was out of town she wanted to "add just a little water" she forgot and went home. So much for my 15 goldfish and 3 30" koi! She was devastated so I let it ride. My goal always for this pond has been to be able to see the bottom and it's 4ft deep, I now read on PB that's not the case for real ponds
1. I want the large pond and probable future cabin site to have nice lilies and maybe lotus, Iris, and maybe elephant ears, with fish for friends kids to catch and for me to eat. I have been toying around Talipia and think BG would be great, I don't really care about catching LMB that much but might be fun for the kids and on the fly rod? Have even toyed with the idea of setting up some form of aquaponics garden for recalculating water from pond?
2. If I can clean up and around other smaller ponds and maybe deepen them then maybe add some Koi into one of them? I am not sure if they will do the same thing as they did at my house and wreak everything and muddy up the pond anyway?
3. The yellow muddy pond needs some vegatation on the banks for sure so will plant some Ires and elaphant ears. Not sure what to do fish wise in it? Am open to and suggestions.
I will get a good water sample and drop off at ATM but I think I am ok there. I will take my pond test kit with me to check Ph and stuff. I will also start to log all fish caught in the pond and report on that.
I will try to add some pics because I know people like them.
Welcome to PB, you have a pretty pond, beautiful wife and nice home. Just tell the experts(not me) what you want to do and they will fix you up pronto. Good luck.
Two ponds, 13 and 15 acres on the Mattaponi River.
While you are waiting for the pros responses, you could start by doing as much fish sampling as possible. Fish, trap, net, whatever it takes to get some photos and post them. Even the little fish you see is important to know what they are. Keep track of what comes from which pond. Also, get out on the water and record the depths of each.
Thanks F&Chips I am going tomorrow to let my mom see the property and will take a friends kid too. He is all fired up about catching a fish!!! He is 4.
