Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Newb South Missouri New Pond

The wife and I finally found some rec property, that may turn into main in 6-10 years. The pond is way less than what i have been looking for, but, it’s the clearest spring fed pond I’ve seen and my wife loves it. Barely over an acre with rocky bottom as its "newish". 16ft deep near levy and has plenty of shallow bank at the other end of pond. Previous owners had it re-dug last year to eliminate the creek that ran into and through it. Now, its fed by 3 springs and overflows at an existing spillway from before remodel. Johnny Morris looking pond.

They stocked with bass, 2 grass carp and some trout. Doubt the trout will make it. they also "said" bluegill but i haven’t seen any. My goal is MO trophy bluebill, which is 1lb+ & 10"+. Redear do well around here so wouldn’t mind those, but not if it worsened my BG population. Finally, would love to have some decent LMB as well, a 5lbr here and there. No interest in any other species. There is currently no structure and due to the clarity of the pond, vegetation will probably grow in most of the pond.

I don’t know what kind of vegetation, I’m a newb. I'm looking to set a game plan. Do i need structure? Do i need to keep the carp? etc... All of these I’ll start to try and answer by searching the forums. Feel free to point me in any direction you want. The owner said he'd put me in contact with the MO conservation rep that helped him stock it last year. Will run that down as well, but again, i was surprised they didn’t put any structure.

A couple more now that i have that down. Wife took one of me fishing across pond and one pulling in a trout. Trout are a blast and boy are they hungry right now. Not sure they will make the summers here so i may have to have a catch and cook. I didn't see any blue gill and just about 2 dozen LMB that schooled and moved together around pond. Goal again is 1lb gills. So, i'll get the PH and report back this weekend.

For the trout, it's water temp. If the water temp gets above 70 degrees, typically there won't be any trout living in water that warm.

I am based in St Louis, and don't think MDC will stock private ponds....They only supply fry/fingerlings in new ponds. Plus, having Missouri state supplied fish makes your pond "Waters of the State". They can not force you to allow trespassing for just anyone to fish, but if they want, they can charge you the value of the adult fish in the pond if "public" fishing is not allowed somewhat....This is rare for them to do because of the negative PR....All that said, the ONLY fish you can legally stock in your pond now, without written permission from the state, because you have their fish in it, is Fathead Minnow. Until you kill off the pond and sterilize it, the pond will remain Waters of the State.....excerpt from part of the MDC info.....Pond owners who accept fish from the Conservation Department retain full rights to control access to their ponds. Accepting the free fish doesn't obligate them to allow fishing or other uses on their land by the public. However, ponds stocked by the Conservation Department are subject to provisions of the Wildlife Code of Missouri. The fish can't be bought or sold, and statewide fishing regulations must be observed. Those restrictions do not apply to pond owners who buy fish from commercial sources. FWIW, you could kill off the pond, restock with far better quality fish and stocking rates than the MDC standard of 500 BG, 100 LMB and 100 CC per acre, and be catching 4+ pound bass at the end of year two....The MDC plan barely gets you two pounders in year 3...Plus, you will not have to have a fishing license, or follow state regs that require permission/permit to stock any fish in "State Waters". Also, don't add Hybrid Bluegill as they will revert to their Green Sunfish genetics and harm your forage base...they also don't grow bigger then straight BG