Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Trees in lake

I have so many trees in my lake I have a hard time getting my boat threw them to fish in the back water. What % of trees to open water should I have? I have 20 acres open water and 40 acres of trees. Lake is 4 years old and some of the trees are starting to fall down and making it even harder to get a boat threw. The other day I went with a chain saw and tried to make a path for a boat to go threw, but could only cut what was above the ice. Would making plastic fish attractors for the open water be a waste of time or would it draw fish out of the trees so I could catch something. I have put 2000 cats,1000 L.bass, 1000 bluegill, 300 red ear sunfish, and 250 b crappie. All of these were 2 to 3 inches long. Then I also put in 50, 5 to 9 inch crappie. Some how lots of bullheads and green sunfish also made its way in. Minnows and bluegill were put in a year before everything else. I can not catch anything but bullhead and green sunfish on a regular basis.( 1 bass and dozen black crappie in 2 years) My goal for the lake is large cats, 3 to 5 lb. bass and a nice eating size black crappie. I have a lot of kids that will fish the lake so need numbers not size. I know I did not put in enough fish but the mighty $ stopped me from putting in any more.

pictures of the layout of the pond and what the trees look like in the pond would help us. If they are in shallow water drawing the pond down may help cut them. If they are going to be in the way of your prime fishing spots (if you cut them down at ice level and the vertical portion under ice is still in the way) then... you may want to draw water down and use a dozer to push them over. You need them 6' tall or so so the dozer can use the tree itself to push the root ball over. You could then decide to cut the usable lumber and leave the root ball partly in the ground yet to rot or to serve as fish cover and use the logs for lumber or fire wood?

If they are in deep water then cutting out of a rowboat is not so fun. Then you are probably best off using the ice as a more solid platform to cut trees down and remove the wood and branches.

I am not a fan of timber above the water line...great perch for Kingfishers, GBH, Cormorants, etc. and can cause mobility issues. I suspect you'd benefit from someone local with fishery/pond management experience to help you. Feel free to ping me anytime, my time is free to Pond Boss family!

I made the same mistake when I built my pond, just on a smaller scale. I left about 1/3 of the total surface area essentially unfishable due to all the standing timber. I then did what you indicated, went through and topped most of the trees to within 12" or so of full pool when the ice was thick. This certainly helped but it's still REALLY tough fishing.

Teejaeh is right, the only benefit I've found to having standing tops is someplace for the dang GBH's to roost while they eyeball my fish!

I love ice fishing in trees - pretty easy vertical presentation, but obviously open water casting can become an issue. I'd cut everything possible off at ice line and drag them out. 40 acres of cover in a 60 acre BOW could make fish location tough...I can help with suggestions on congregating fish...feeders and a few brush piles shallow and deep around the feeders is one great way to achieve this.

Makes the GBH easier to...um, view in the binoculars!

I have tried for a couple of days now hope pictures will show up. http://s77.photobucket.com/user/Chris_Krivohlavek/profile/

Are you sure on the size of the lake being 60 acres?

N.R.D. says it 62 acres, I measurered it on map quest at 60 acres but can not see a lot of the water to get a good measurement. It goes back 3/4 mile. Removing all the trees is not an option. I am too old and would have to be done on the ice. It also not all on are property. Do HSB like open water more than trees, or maybe blue catfish or some other fish.

Hey nehunter,

That is quite the BOW you have there!

Are any of the trees worth harvesting to someone in your area; even if just for firewood? Maybe give the trees away free if they cut them and haul the brush to shore?

As you already know, and I agree, you did not stock enough fish the first go around. The fact that the lake is full of GSF makes me suspect not many of your 2 to 3 inch stockers survived or have managed much recruitment.



My understanding is that HSB prefer open water. GSF do not. I doubt the HSB will help with control of the GSF. The HSB would probably target your young crappie instead. Have you looked into HBC (Hybrid Blues, a cross of channel and blues)? What ever you stock, IMO I would go with 4 inch+ stockers to avoid predation by the GSF. In a year or three the GSF will go from predator to prey!

IMO I would take TJ up on his offer for a consult, even if it's just a phone call. He was nice enough to spend an hour or two on the phone with me a couple years back and it was definitely time well spent. Guy really knows his stuff.

Good Luck,

Bill D.