When I started this project of building a pond I didn't realize how much actually went into doing so until I found this site! Thanks so much for everyone's help.

Pictures are located in this post: Central Illinois Pond Pics

Now that my pond has been built and is filling way faster than I thought, this NEWBIE is going to need more help. One of the reasons I wanted a pond was to casually be able to fish, so it appears I need to address what kind of fish and the best habitat for them. It is 17 ft deep btw!

Since I'm Central Illinois, I was planning on catfish and some bass. Very open to assistance on what people think I need and then what structure would be best.

Get with Herman Brothers (Nate (N8ly)) they are located in the peoria area so nice and close. If my repair works I plan on using them to stock my pond next spring.

Can you give a little more detail on your goals? DO you plan on feeding or have the pond handle itself?

I suspect that is the problem in that I really don't have any goals to have a pond other than add to the value of our property, attracts wildlife, and something I can stock and fish out of. After finding this site and having the pond in progress I realized this is MUCH bigger project than I originally thought. However with help, I hope to have a well functioning pond that meets my objectives rather than have an average farm pond that I will be fighting.

I'm really excited about the prospects of learning from this community and have already subscribed to the Pond Boss magazine. Again with some direction, I believe I can have something special. Thanks in advance for taking this newbie under your wings!

I agree. Get in touch with Nate and I'm sure he will have some very good suggestions. I think in an hour's time you will come away with more information than a couple weeks of looking at this site. Not that I'm suggesting that you don't look here, it's just that you are on a short time frame. Please keep us posted on how things go, and don't hesitate to ask questions!

In my pond, I've changed focus from a traditional LMB/BG/CC pond to a LMB/HSB/BG/RES pond. Getting those CC out isn't easy!

If you want to add some structure to your pond I have some 4" PVC pipes already drilled to make PCV trees for the pond that you can have. Just need to drive to Browning to get them. I am changing some of my PVC trees over to Porcupine fish structures. If interested PM me and we can work out the details.

I am still shocked about all the things that needs to be done to get this pond up and running properly. On the surface I'm sure all the structures need to be added, but I also don't want to look down in clear water (hopefully) and see a bunch of crap in the bottom either. But that is a Newbie speaking.

The water entering the pond has slowed considerably with all the dry weather, so I have some time to address the structure issue that everyone is saying I need to complete. Naturally ever since I built the pond, the rain has went either North of South of us....go figure!

If you look at my pictures, I have two areas. The deep trench that is 17ft deep and then a shelf that would appear to be 6-8 feet deep. The shelf has a foot or so of water on it. If I understand properly, I need something for the FHM and that should go on the shelf. The other structures should then go in the deep trench. Or should i put some other structures on the shelf area?

Fish wise, I would like some catfish, bass (small or large?) then BG and FHM to feed them. Correct?

The stuff you put in there will be covered with growth in no time and you won't know it's there. Just keep it away from any swimming/diving areas.

You could go with a HSB/YP/RES/SMB/GSH/PSK fishery just as easily (well, almost). There are many, many options out there. It all depends on what your goals are.

After looking through other posts, I found this one by Coach B: Creating Pond Bush . Which leads me to ask about the tubing which doesn't seem to have much flex. I have seen some tubing that is PVC, blue in color, with ridges. This makes the tubing fairly flexible, so my question is would that be too flexible? And does the diameter make a difference, 1/2 vs 3/4?

As long as it will hold it's shape (or roughly hold it's shape) in the water, the diameter really doesn't matter.

The tubing can be flexible. I have also used old soaker hoses cut up. I am currently making four more of my bushes.

The diameter doesn't matter, I don't think. Just make sure that the bush has enough density for the fish to hide in. The bushes work great. It is the second year in the pond, and they are holding together just fine.

Well here is my first one which is still in progress. I wanted some input before I spent to much to much time on it.

Thoughts comments?

You'd better finish it outside or your wife is going to be pi**ed about that thing on her kitchen island that won't fit through the door!

Nice looking attractor. How are you planning to anchor it? How many of the "branches" are you going to have?

Here's a crazy and probably too time consuming thought, but one that I've been chewing on for when I make some of these one day. Since these are supposed to sort of mimic trees/bushes, why not get all of your PVC branches in place, and then drill some holes in them (or do that beforehand) and then run plastic zip-ties through the holes and zip them down so they stay in place? It gives you twigs on your branches and provides even more cover. Like I said, probably pretty time consuming, but might be a different twist that makes the attractor just that much more attractive!

Shhhhhh what she don't know won't hurt her! I had to increase my bit size to 13/16 and was testing it out where it was cool.

It's modeled after Coach B's attractor, so it will have 52 "branches" that will equal 130 ft of hose. I like your idea, but wouldn't that increase your chances of hooking your line to it? Still I may try it closer to the base.

Anchoring it? I was thinking of pouring concrete on the lip which should hold it? Not bad for a $10 flower pot.

I've thought about the same thing with the risk of maybe making a more snaggy situation, but don't really know. Just seems like a good way to make it an even better haven for the really little guys which would then make the bigger guys much more interested. Probably just overkill on my thinking, but you never know until the float the idea!

As far as just putting concrete in the lip, I'm not sure how reliable that would ultimately be. Doesn't seem like you'll get much in there as that's not a big space. What about cutting a couple of holes to anchor a cinder block inside of it? A couple of extra holes would also give the little guys more access to get inside for added protection.

I plan on cutting some holes so the FHM can escape to. I most likely will hang something inside to help weigh it down.

I was curious if the bright blue color would be an issue?

I doubt the color will matter one bit. I would guess the fish don't care as long as it provides them some coverage. If you can see them from shore and that bothers you (or the wife!) then the blue color may matter, but short of that, I don't see any reason to be concerned.