Thanks ewest...that's exactly the kind of advice I am looking for!!!
I've gone through the SMB spawning info many times over...I'm probably more set on that than anything else. I am pretty sure HOW I will do my SMB beds...I guess I need advice as to WHERE to put the beds (as well as WHERE to place FH spawning area & xmas trees for perch).
There isn't much for weeds at the moment, but when the pond is full, there is heavy shoreline grass-and-weed-growth from A-to-C & G-to-F. I don't know if any of that will translate into growth in the shallow water of those areas.
I don't have a supply of rocks other than buying them at full price, but evergreen trees are no problem at all. My neighbor has several thousand from 4ft - 12ft tall. I can probably help him thin some of his overgrown pines for free each year, or worst case scenario, I can cut & buy a couple each year as needed.
A few things I have considered building:
- multi-tiered cedar "pallet" type structure(s), possibly wrapped with snow fence for FH spawning & cover. Overkill? Or should I just throw some regular pallets in there for free?
- Cages similar to Brettski's PVC/SnowFence inventions for protection of newly hatched SMB
- Drainage Tile Stuctures like these
http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000199;p=0 - SMB beds made from river rock placed inside tubs at various depths. I have 6 x 26" round tubs, and 6 x 36"x24" rectangular tubs. Both are about 8-10 inches deep.
- I am also looking at a spin-off of Brettski's fake PVC logs as well, using drainage tile & flexible hose instead of stiff PVC. I'll use these next to the SMB beds as cover.
Anyway, long story short, I guess I really need a placement-plan more than anything. I have ideas of WHAT to place (and I'm starting to understand HOW MUCH). I just don't WHERE items should be placed in relation to one another and what would be the best way to control fish-traffic so I can find them when I want to.
