Pondmeisters,

The dozers are running and my excitement is building! Here is what I�m looking for help on:

Location: NE Ohio, 33-35� precip. annually

Water Source: runoff (less than half of runoff source from ag fields subject to minimum tilling, and remainder from woods) I intend to buffer with native grasses and utilize swimming pool sized sediment/settling pond to flow into main pond.

Depth: Projected to be 8-12� at the �deep third of the pond� (S end) and maybe 4-6� at (N end)

Size: 1.5-2.0 acres depending on how much dirt I can push off on the neighbors and construction budget, my short side N-S will be 50-75yds wide and the length E-W will be 100-125yds wide with some shape to the shore.
Construction Type: Combo embankment/excavated, planned 3:1 slopes on sides (except for swimming area).

Goals: I�d like to have a beach/swimming area on the W end as this will be closest to the house and the easiest to get utilities to. Also, since I never do things the easy mindless way and tend to over plan and over complicate everything� I want to stock something different than the LMB / BG /CC that occupy every other farm pond within 150 miles of me. I realize that is the recommended or most common stocking but I (and friends/family) really enjoy the �table value� of the YP and WE and I think stocking / feeding / management costs would be offset by the fact that I could walk outside to shop for a fish dinner rather than spending 3 hours and a couple hundred dollars of fuel for a trip to Lake Erie. (Not that I will stop going there, just that I won�t have to go there every time I want to have a fish fry).
I�ve read perfect pond, pondboss for the last year, and spend countless hours on this forum but I wondering out loud and hoping for some other views / advice / opinions.


Questions:
1. I would love to try BCP or hybrid crappie but from the days spent reading all threads related it seems that success will not last forever in a pond of this size but� One idea is didn�t see discussed, what if you electrofished each spring/summer and rid the pond of excess YOY crappies to combat overpopulation? I have no idea how much this would cost or if it would even work? Trying to think outside the box here.

2. Assuming I really don�t care about fighting/catching LMB (in this pond) what other species would work with WE & YP in my area and in what proportion would you stock them?

3. Assuming I change my mind about what types of fish I would like to stock or try, is there a different way that you would build the bottom or slopes of the pond for a particular species? Just for sake of variety and to reduce the size of the �privacy mountain� that will be pushed up on the north property border, I was going to leave some submerged underwater islands/humps. I was also going to cut in a channel near the dam to provide some deeper water but not sure if that is necessary or not? Should I have flats at various depths for different species to spawn?

4. Test holes (near dam) revealed about 9� deep we hit sand and gravel, if this is consistent leaving a foot of clay + 6 ft dam on orig grade will mean I have the potential to go approx. 15� deep max without losing water via sand gravel bottom. Reading some WE posts it seems member 19dave68 had some luck with spawning in a small NY pond so I was thinking about having the contractor dig up some of that gravel and stockpile for later use on the NE shore for spawning habitat since the wind blows predominately from the SW. Is that a good idea (any cons to doing so if the borrow area is re-sealed/compacted with clay)?

5. I planned on using 15-20% structure and have lined up lots of pallets, an abundance of 5 gallon buckets and some culvert/pvc pipes. I understand Christmas trees are best but if I were going to add submerged timber/treetops would the fresh cut silver maples release tannins and poison my new stocking or should I wait for the wood to season and dry before dragging/sinking back into the pond?

PS. As a bonus, while they had equipment on site I had them push around some dirt for a �small wetland area� on the back side of my property but ended up with the attached photo (duck pond with flats that should hold fish rather than dry out each year as a seasonal wetland).

The main bowl is about 6-8ft deep @ .4 acres and the back bowl is same @ .25 acres, everything in between 12-18� depth that I hope to drain plant and re-flood each year. The shallow flats are planted in millet right now, just waiting to grow and fill. The point is, I can do my experimenting there by stocking with BCP and CC or just go the traditional route of LMB, BG, etc. in the duck pond and do my experimenting in the larger pond.
I�m open to any thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks.

not sure how to insert an image but here's a link to the duck pond

[img][IMG]http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx2/uplandhunting/20130920_121043.jpg[/img][/img]