Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Selecting a site New WE/SMB/YP/RES Pond near Ft Wayne Indiana

Listen to what Bill and TJ are saying.

The key to having a pond with great fish is to address the fish habitat first. Do all the planning and acquiring of material for said habitat before the construction starts, then have a plan on where it goes in the pond, so as soon as the pond excavation is done the habitat can go in. Without the proper habitat the pond won't do that well. Habitat is also underwater weeds for cover for the minnows. Even stocking GSH, without habitat to reproduce on, they will be extirpated from the pond if not the 1st year, the 2nd year. Weeds/cover with small openings for habitat for the forage fish, rocks with small openings for habitat for the crayfish. Up here, not only in the shallow water but also in the deep water to create habitat for those species when ice is on the pond and they can't utilize the shallow water.

It's better to take an extra year to plan and get all the materials on-site than to rush and have to put cover/structure/habitat in the pond from a boat.

Any rocks that are found when constructing the pond, set aside to be put back in there. Any large trees that are in the way, save a bunch to put back in there. While wood in a pond is good for fish habitat, if it's near rocks it seems to be MUCH more attractive to the fish.

Don't be in a rush to throw the predator fish in there, stock lots of forage fish and let them get established first. As for SMB reproducing, I've seen them reproduce in a pond with just bucket loads of pea gravel strategically placed, or on TJ's spawning beds. In a 1 ac pond you only need 1 pair to pull off a successful spawn. I've seen SMB overeat their forage base with Golden Shiners, Yellow Perch, Fatheads and Redear in the pond. Not enough habitat in there for the forage fish.

Remember that proper "HARVEST" is an integral part of pond management. Type of number of harvest is a big part of maintaining the quality and fish size structure of the fishery.

As for feeding, I really recommend feeding daily. The results with ponds that have a daily or 2x day feeding schedule compared to a pond where feeding is inconsistent or non-existent is beyond what people imagine. Not only are you feeding the predators if you stock feed trained fish, (that will also take some pressure off of the forage fish) but you will also be feeding the forage base, and the healthier the forage base the more eggs they can lay and the more successful the forage base will be.