Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Middle of pond?

The pond has just less than 9 acres in the middle that is about 10ft deep and without structure. This seems like it would be a void of sorts for fish. Would it be beneficial to start adding brushpiles and rockpiles into this large open area to promote fish use of more of the pond. If I could somehow recruit more forage or give predators another place to live I would be thrilled.

We do swim and jetski in the middle so I wouldn't want anything to stick up to within 5ft of the surface. The one exception would be under an island or floating dock that we could swim from. If I had a floating dock I wouldn't hesitate to attach something from the middle of it down into the pond for habitat.

Ideas or wasting my thoughts?

Even in Texas, I think some people stock TF Shad every year.

Before I ever put HSB in any of my ponds, I was generally against it as I deemed HSB to be 'unnatural.' My fish guy convinced me to try them, so I put only (5) in my 4.5 acre pond. This was in the Fall of a year. That next summer, way out in the middle of the pond, I saw a 10' diameter of water basically boiling.

I yelled out to my brother who was out in a boat, and he made his way over to the action, and hooked up with several of the HSB.

I've been a believer in HSB for almost 15 years now.

Gizzard shad can be OK if you have enough large bass to eat them and keep them from over populating.

Any concerns about impacting your 'ecosystem' are valid and as such, my thoughts are to stock smaller numbers and see what happens.

Yes, you could get more fish 'usage' of those areas.

Conventional wisdom says HSB like 'open' water, but I've seen them in all areas of my ponds.

Threadfin Shad supposedly hang in open water, so you may look into that, but they may not survive your winters. I say that about TF shad because if they are in open water, other fish will go there too.

catscratch, I've been very pleased with the HSB in my pond. They flourished for several years even without TFS, though I now stock TFS annually.

HSB will compete with LMB, so better to stock a limited number and see how things go.

Sorry, I never posted my reply. No, my water's just not right for it. With all the vegetation, I'm afraid fertilize.