Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Ponds with no shade.

I see ponds with no shade. I wonder about that. Most ponds around here get shade from the trees during different times of the day. But some ponds are out in open fields and get no shade at all, unless they have a fallen tree or whatever.

A long time ago I use to fish a gravel pit that had several ponds. Being a gravel pit, there were very few trees. The very few areas that did have shade, just a couple shorelines during certain times of the day, and fallen trees, had bass stacked up in the shade. Since then I definitely know that when its sunny, LMB seek shade during most times of the year.

Anyhow, I guess I'm asking what do y'all think about this, and what would you do to a pond with no shade? And don't most other pond fish want shade?

My ponds are all out in the open except for the trout pond that has a monster Weeping Willow on the east end. The lack of shade doesn't seem to have any effect on the fish. I don't have structure in the ponds either to not impede seining and the fish seem to do fine. That said my fish are all pellet fed.

I think fish seek shade as a feature that allows them to be less conspicuous and better blend into the habitat. This is especially important for predators since the shade factor allows them to be in shade and be less noticed and then attack incoming food items. IMO fish will adapt to the habitat very well without shade.

Thanks fellas. I just see ponds with no shade and it makes me want to put a fallen tree in the pond.

Put a dock or pier in the pond! There's your shade.

Floating island(s).

You could use the "Blue Dye" stuff (which I do). But when its really hot out, the bigger fish hang out right at the drop-offs. Gills and tilapias I think could live in almost boiling water . Amazing fish!

This one gets late afternoon shade from one cedar tree and a couple of small willows and very late shade from trees behind the dam. My nephew and some buddies were given a small deck and they attached it too 55 gallon plastic barrels with rope and the weighted it down with roping and weights. I went out and cut those and drove in some 1" pipe and put several of those half round 2.5" brackets for each pipe to ride up and down. It's been on the pond about 10 years now....floating up and down with the water. I have a couple of benches on it and about 10-12 solar lights. I have great crappie habitat around it...it's my go to when I get the jon boat out.

^^^ Great pics^^^!!!

LMB and many predator fish have better low light vision than there prey. Any wonder why they seek the advantage. An easy shade method (besides sinking structure) is a couple ropes with floats with black plastic or tarps.

am I the only one who cannot see the pictures in the post above by gonefishinii? I only see a small placeholder with a red x in it.??

Gonefishinii, that is one beautiful floating dock.

I think that if anyone had a pond with no shade, and it has LMB, if you make any kind of shade, that's where the biggest ones will be on sunny days.

That's a great idea.

Yea, don't know what's wrong.

I see it.

I had a dock section like that once. Went out to it by boat and started fishing. Unbeknownst to me the rope that attached the boat to the pier came loose and the boat floated to shore. I tried to get the wife's attention in the house to no avail. Finally decided, "Oh f*** it," and swam to shore. I still chuckle about it to this day.