I have been on this site for a few months. Mostly just reading and learning. I have 5 small ponds. Three on a normally 2 foot wide mountain spring that originates about a 1/3 mile up the mountain behind my house. They are really just large pools as the biggest is about 100' x 40' x 12' deep at its deep end. These I have stocked with Rainbow Trout, Horny Heads, minnows, and crayfish. We have stocked all by catching either fishing or with traps. When I moved here the little creek was pretty much a barren muck hole from cattle. I did a lot of excavating to control the runoff as all our water runs into the New river.
Now I have berms to direct the water through my pasture and filter before the creek. It does flow a lot of water steady when dry about 15 gallons a minute. I have seen the creek get 6' wide as very large hill pastures and lots of run off.
I have two small ponds that are spring fed with overflow then piped into the creek. I also have a marsh adjoining, one pond.
One of the stagnate ponds is my biggest at this time about 1/3 acre. In that pond I messed up stocking it with Black Crappie and Catfish that I also caught locally. We call that one the frog pond as thousands breed there every year. The other stagnate pond is called the pasture pond and a work in progress although near complete. So far only minnows and Horny Heads. It was dug to provide water for my cattle but fenced and then piped to a cistern.
I want to share pictures but all mine are too large. My Rainbow's are huge with the biggest towards 16 lbs. I am really thinking I need to catch him soon. I had one 10 pounder die last week from old age.
Can someone help me with making my pictures small enough to post? I know everyone likes pictures and I want to contribute what I can. Too ignorant to give advice except I did offer my Otter and Muskrat deterrent that has worked so far. Knock on wood, my head by the way. LOL
TIA, Mike

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