New Southern Ohio Pond - 08/12/22 07:11 PM
Hello! I live on 20 acres of woods in Southern Ohio (Georgetown area). Our project of ground water management at the front of the property has quickly escalated to putting in a pond for some of the dispersement. I love fishing, so I'd like to manage this to an excellent fishery. I was hoping to stray from the "traditional Ohio pond," but was not sure how well it would do. Soil is primarily clay and we have a fairly high water table as our sump pump runs year round. So far the plan is a little less than 0.5 acre, we're planning on 3:1 slopes, a 3ft shelf, a 5ft shelf, then down to somewhere between 8-10ft with a couple even deeper holes dug in there. I'd love YP, BG, SMB, and WE (or even Sauger), but have no idea if that would work. My primary goal would be big panfish with a secondary goal nice to big SMB. I'm guessing SMB would help control the YP, but maybe not so much the BG as for the second predator of WE or Sauger (I know WE wouldn't produce, I'm just concerned about survival in Southern Ohio as to why I've thrown out Sauger potential as well). Maybe HBG instead of BG if WE/Sauger wouldn't work out. I do plan to build a nice minnow base, and we already have burrowing crawfish, frogs, lizards, and salamanders I figure would play a role in forage base as well. I would be happy managing big BG in a BG, LMB, CC pond, but I'd be happier with big YP and BG and SMB if it would work where I'm at . I am completely open to suggestions, definitely plan on aerating year round, and I won't mind feeding as well. Also, if there is anyone highly recommended in the area that draws up stocking/management plans I'm not opposed to hiring their services as long as I can trust them. I have spoken with Jones Hatchery some who has recommended this:
20# FHM
15# GSH
25 SMB
75 WE
200 BG
100 HGB
75 RES
100 YP
4 TGC
On a side note, I've also heard about Japanese Black Trapdoor Snails in leu of TGC, supposedly they live birth and don't over produce like other snails, but have no idea if this is actually a good idea or not.
Thank you all so much for your time on this and I value all recommendations.
Drew
20# FHM
15# GSH
25 SMB
75 WE
200 BG
100 HGB
75 RES
100 YP
4 TGC
On a side note, I've also heard about Japanese Black Trapdoor Snails in leu of TGC, supposedly they live birth and don't over produce like other snails, but have no idea if this is actually a good idea or not.
Thank you all so much for your time on this and I value all recommendations.
Drew