Building a pond this spring and wondering how big of an area the gravel beds should cover and what is the best depth to put them at. Pond will be between .5 and .75 acres and I’m looking at LM bass and bluegill.

Size of area will somewhat depend on how much spawning you plan to take place. More area equals more space for nesting. Average amount would be an area around 16x20 maximum IMO would be 50x20. Most are installed as a shallow beach area with gravel at least 8" to 12" deep. Have pond builder push up a semi-circular dirt curb to keep gravel from moving and sliding down into the depths.

Here are a few pics of BG/RES beds as an example of how to make them. I have not seen a gravel shelf used but others may have. Depth range of those shown is from 18 inches to 3 ft.