Hi All,

I have a 2 acre pond, in central Alabama (Calera) which was not dug with Bass in mind, so it's very shallow over about 1/2 the area with all the typical problems with shallow water, espectially pondweed. Deeper areas are approx. 12-14 ft. About 1/3 of the pond is 4 ft deep or less. Around the edges, it's shallow - under 3' from the bank to out about 10 feet from the bank. Right now, it's covered at least 40% with weeds which is making fishing and overall enjoyment very hard. I have good populations of Bass and Bluegill now.

Because it's so shallow, fertilizing has never resulted in a good algae bloom. The weeds always get a headstart and the fertilizer just makes it worse. I put in 30 grass carp last September. It's a little early, but I've seen no effect from them, nor have I even seen one of the carp as I fish. Hope they didn't get eaten.

Anyway, I've had the idea for a long time that digging the shallow area out to around 5-6 feet deep would help prevent the weeds so I can get to the source and deal with fewer weeds every year. I can use the dirt to fill in some low spots in surrounding pasture. I have a couple of questions.

What's the best depth around the shoreline?

I want to leave enough shallow area for bedding, so should I leave specific areas at the shallow depth?

While I'm digging, should I do anything special such as some areas deeper than others?

How long will the mud take to dry out and should I expect a lot of odor for a long time?

Timing: Any reason NOT to dig now? Any reason to wait until winter? I'm concerned about losing a lot of small fry if I remove the grass this way.

Any effect on spawning bluegill for the rest of the year?

Thanks ahead of time for any help provided.

Dave