Originally Posted by Snorklefish
My ~1.66 acre pond has artificial habitats scattered within 20’ of the shore in 3-7’ of water. It is weed free. This means that there is at least 2/3rds of an acre that are more than 20’ from both shore & cover. Are those open water areas (maximum 10.5’) effectively ‘dead zones’ in terms of productivity?

For sake of argument, imagine a circular pond with a diameter of 210’ and a central depth of 10.5’ feet. Am I wasting real estate by not placing habitat in the inner 100’?

If the pond has a bottom diffusion aeration system in it, the fish will utilize the complete water column providing that there is sufficient O2 in the whole water column. I say that because some aeration systems are not designed properly for the pond that they are in and do not provide sufficient water mixing and O2 distribution.

Even without an aeration system, the fish will utilize the very deepest part of the pond during the winter as long as there is sufficient O2 there. Placing cover in the deepest part of the pond will concentrate fish around it in the winter, and like ewest said, if the cover comes up to the surface they will utilize that cover at different depths at different times of the year.

I have a pile of Christmas trees in my pond that go from 18' water depth to about 3' water depth. In the winter, ice fishing, that is the most productive part of the pond. During the summer I can cast to that area and pull a lure past it and catch fish.

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