My wife and I have purchase property with an eleven acre pond that previously was a gravel pit. The story goes that 30 years ago they hit a spring in the pit and it filled it to a mid depth of 35 feet. It is also said to have a dump truck in the bottom that was stuck and couldn't get it out before the water came up. The pond was stocked for 4 years by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries back when they stocked private ponds. It was stocked with Brim, White Perch, Florida striped Bass and Blue Catfish. It has not been maintained since that time. I haven't fished it yet but will do so after closing on the 10th of this month. What has been told to me is the Bass are fairly small now which I'm guessing means they don't have enough to eat. I will get the
LW & F to shock the fish to see where we are and then go from there. We are so excited we just can't stand it. I am glad to find this site as I will need a lot of help.

wespleasants:

Welcome! Let us know what the shocking survey shows. You're in for an interesting ride! Sounds like a nice place. Please take pics of the shocking survey if you can, we like pics.

Welcome to the forum wespleasants!

You've found the right place to get many of your questions answered. Since you are going to be a pond owner soon, may I recommend you get a subscription to Pond Boss magazine if you have already. You'll find it quite a good read and enjoy it every other month when it comes!

Small stunted bass are very common in older unmanaged ponds such as the one you are buying. Bass tend to overpopulate when left to their own vices. Often it is due to a lack of food, but that lack of food is do to the overpopulation. Keep us informed how the electroshocking goes. You can also be hands on and fish the pond and do seine surveys to get a better understand what the fish population is like in your pond. Electroshocking is a valuable resource, but isn't and end all be all to understanding a fish community.

Again welcome to the forum and the joys and frustrations of pond ownership!

Alright I just want to clarify something here. When you are referring to "White Perch" down south are you talking about the following fish?



Or does the "White Perch" look something like this:





I know local names for fish species vary, but in order to help you evaluate your pond this distinction would be helpful.

Crappie are commonly called white perch down south. The better term is Crappie so that we avoid the confusion noted above.

Wow a 35 foot deep, 11 acre pond. My mind reels with the possibilities. Welcome to Pond Boss Wes, we're glad you found us. Oh and photos, please post any and all photos, graphic illustrations, water color renditions, sketch pad illustrations, or napkin doodlings of your pond.

Yes I mean crappie not white perch but that's what we call them in Louisiana. I'll send pics as soon as I figure out how.

Hi Wes,welcome aboard.What that guy Jeff said,yea,what he said.I noticed your posting in the middle of the night.Your new and already addicted.Your pond is going to consume your life,and your going to love every minute of it.Hang on,its a great ride.

Hi guys. I'm Wes's other half and I've got the goods (the pictures). I'll post a few links. I can't find a way to upload them directly to this forum.

We are so excited about acquiring this pond that words cannot convey. Why anyone would NOT be excited is incomprehensible, but the former owner said some potential buyers actually looked at it as 11 acres of wasted space!

Tell me if this looks like wasted space to you guys.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/photo.php?pid=400065&id=1456490803

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=400091&id=1456490803

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=400091&id=1456490803#/photo.php?pid=400074&id=1456490803

Here you go. Very very nice pond.
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[img]http://[/img]

[img]http://[/img]

Thanks for doing that, blair5002. I think I have this figured out now, with the "[img]" in front and behind the link, right? But I want to share the other pictures of the water and woods too, so here is a public link to the entire album on my facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=22387&id=1456490803&l=8e8808dcfc

Wow you guys have a beautiful BOW and surrounding area. With 11 acres to work with you guys have one hell of a great project on your hands.

Your definitely in the right place to get it done the way you want it. The forum is great spot for information, questions and advice. I would recommend subscribing to the magazine as well. It is chock full of useful information and new ideas for your pond.

Keep us updated and enjoy...

That aint no pond, that is one dang nice lake!

That is what I say

Well, we close on the property Friday. We're gonna get the dozer and gravel truck in early next week and hope that Wildlife and Fisheries can get out soon and do the "shock" thing. Then we'll start talking about stocking and maintenance.

We're excited, but nervous. We're going to need plenty of advice from you seasoned pond owners.

I feel like a kid before Christmas.

Congratulations! Don't be strangers here, we're all like one big family here, complete with the goofy cousins (it's Tom G that I'm referring to here, of course some may tell you that JHAP lives in a glass home and, accordingly, shouldn't throw stones).

and always wear underwear

That is one gorgeous lake! Anyone who called that wasted space should be volunteered as a colonist for a space station.

as a comedian demitri martin once said.. no one should throw stones, thats crappy behavior. however if you are trapped in a glass house, that may be the most appropriate time to throw a stone.

Hmmm, interesting point Mikey.

My parents never let me throw stones at anyone. Oh sure I could throw stones at trees, and skip them on the water, etc. But throwing stones at people was strickly forbidden.

Well except for Mimes. I was allowed to throw stones at Mimes, but who wasn't?

Where does it come from?

The 70's man. The 70's.

AWESOME place there Wes and Sharon!

Depends upon what you mean by the question.

If you're referring to my irreverent comments then yes the 1970s is probably as good a guess as anything. Actually I don't really know. I just sit here at the keyboard and all kinds of fun and exciting things pop into my brain. The less scary of these thoughts I express, the more scary I keep to myself. No need to get the villagers in an uproar after all.

If you're referring to the stones, well like many kids if I saw an interesting looking rock I'd pick it up, examine it and then toss it at something. Typical boy stuff I suspect.

If you're talking about Mimes, then I'm afraid I can't give you an answer, I mean after all does anyone really know where Mimes come from? Mental institutions? Satan's dark netherworld? Detroit?

Now I know why you like GSF so much! HAHA