What a great site!
Been lurking for a while, just registered today. I purchased 30 acres in Northern California that has a 3 acre pond on it. I have been reading this site religiously. The caliber of people that post here is fantastic. I have learned tons and yet realize I know so very little!
Anyway, about the pond, as I said the pond is a little over 3 acres and is located in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Nothern California. The pond was named "Hidden Lake" by the local folk long before I purchased the property so that's what I call it. I realized that 3 acres isn't really big enough to justify calling it a lake but what the heck I didn't name it! As near as I can determine the pond was created during the 1940's by building an earthen damn across a small valley on the property. The pond is spring fed by two or three springs so it maintains water year round. The springs don't quite keep up with evaporation so the pond does vary some in size. The pond also gets fed from a seasonal creek during winter and spring.
I have caught large mouth bass and green sunfish and once saw a catfish (don't know what kind) so I know that at least those fish are in the pond. The fish population seem way out of balance. I catch 20 bass for every Green Sun Fish. According to a publication that I downloaded the bass appear to be somewhat stunted (their weight isn't as much as it should be for their length). I will have to correct this problem. (I'll ask about this in the correct forum).
I created a web site for the ranch (a term I use liberally) if you want to see photo's. The address is
www.hiddenlakeranch.us I'll attempt to post an image below...
Sorry about the rambling, I'm just excitied to be here!
