I am looking structure advice, specifically:
- Types of structure
- Amount of structure
- Placement of structure
Pond is 1.5 acres, 1 year old, dug out of clay and fed by rainwater only. I'll probably be adding a well in the next month to finish filling it and keep it topped off in the summer months. I don't plan on filling it the rest of the way until I get my structure placed, but I will have plenty of free time to get stuff done this month. I'd like to focus on stuff that I can still get installed with the water where it is now. Some stuff I could potentially throw toward the deeper end if placement needn't be overly precise.
Fish to be stocked:
SMB, YP, RES
Currently, I have stocked 100 4-5" YP and 40+ lbs of fatheads. If my structure plan can help sustain the FH population, I'd like to include appropriate hiding/breeding areas specifically for them as well.
My goals are to make this as maintenance free as possible, but I am willing to put in the work up-front. Artificial structure (plastics, etc) are ideal so they don't need replacement, but I might have reasonable access to pine trees that I can throw in from time to time if needed. Also, right now I happen to have a bunch of small hardwood trees that I recently pulled out with my tractor, and I was going to burn. Some of them might be useful as cover if I drop them in somewhere perhaps.
Currently, I DO NOT HAVE A BOAT.
I have some ideas for SMB spawning beds. I'll be filling plastic tubs with river rocks and mounting them into my slopes. I plan on using some artificial cover (fake logs, and pvc crates, etc) near the beds as well. I'll need advice on placement of these.
I am guessing that the RES will spawn in my swimming area? I don't know squat about what the YP need.
One other consideration...somewhere down the road (maybe 6-10 years depending on the economy), the property immediately behind my pond) will be converted into a large subdivision. The area immediately behind me will be one of the last phases, so it will be a while. I am somewhat concerned about neighborhood kids sneaking in and jumping in the pond if they discover it. I want to make sure my structure is relatively safe in the event that something like that happens. So, PVC-Spears sticking up out of the clay are probably a bad idea. Large piles of rocks, particularly on the west side, would probably be a bad idea. You get the idea. I'm trying to work with pre-existing ideas and make them safer when I can. For example, I loved Brettski's PVC logs...instead of PVC, I am going to use plastic irrigation tile with lengths of semi-flexible hose sticking up as reeds, instead of stiff PVC. It won't be as sturdy, but I don't think it will hurt anyone if they jump on it on accident.
I'd like to keep costs somewhat reasonable when I can since the pond itself cost a bunch, and I just transplanted about 200 8' spruce trees from my neighbors property to outline the pond. Got a great deal on the trees and the transplanting, but the cost adds up fast. I am sure a divorce from my wife won't help the fish grow any faster.
Any and all recommendations will be appreciated. I HAVE read through most of the relevant posts about SMB-YP combos, though it can be a bit overwhelming. I also know nothing about how I want the fish to group themselves, so specific placement advice will be very valuable to me.
