Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Pond construction

I have been reading as a visitor your forums and articles for some time. I am currently renewing on old pond approx. 3 acres. Theres lots of good info. However, i realize that sometimes ideas are only as good as the money to implement them. I heard that ray scott has one of the best bass waters in the US. I have seen his videos. I understand the philosophy. I am trying to make the best pond possible before i fill it up. I have the equipment to do what i want. I would like you suggestions as to what works best for you. Any tips or corncerns an anything in between that would create the best habitat for the ultimate fish pond would be appreciated. I would like this to be a place for all of the best techniques and tips in creating awesome habitat, so that i dont have to search every statement and forum to find great ideas.

Boulder piles are hands down one of the best for game fish and bait fish, with all the places to hide.

Timber and stick piles are good, but deteriate.

Fish structure in a custom pond is often designed to be snagg free, and those work too, but from what i have seen rock piles are the best.

dont forget to have habbitat for all walks of a fish's life. A place to spawn a place to grow up, a place to feed (feeding stations mabeye to) and place for there food to do all the same. once you have it made. the fish will choose what they like.

Islands are a cool excerry and you can think of them now, but they can be added later more easily than some others.

Dont forget aeriation, if you want to go that route it does give you more bang, for the pond size.

This book might help:

http://www.pondboss.com/item.asp?id=11&r=store.asp%3Fc%3D8

is there a certain percentage of pond area that needs to be designated for bream beds. if so, what is the recommended height below the water to the surface do they need to be for maximum reprod. Our old lake had it primarily in the shallow ends but last year as I was working on it the pond filled in the winter and to my suprise when I drained it about a month ago to finish the bottom structure there were bream beds on my islands which were approx. 3-4 ft. below the water level. Didnt know i had bream, pond had been dry for 17yrs. Which is preferred or are both acceptable?

Travis, I think it all depends on water temps, clarity and things that we can't fathom. I made areas in my pond that I thought the BG would prefer to spawn in, and they suprise me every year. I don't think they've spawned 2 years in a row in the same area, even 2 months in the same area.

Small gravel is preferred, and I've seen them spawn in 12" to 48" of water. One year it's on the South Side in June, then on the North side in July. No rhyme or reason that I can tell.

When Lusks talks about fish movement and feeding and how different it is from studies of the LMB, what type of structure is he suggesting that best applies to the LMB. My pond is 3 acres so what ideas in constructing best suite their attack response. He talked about it but specific examples were lacking. He talked about travel corridors between feeding places. Any thoughts on his words would help.

Bocomo: Respectfully, a correction, This WILL help. Lusk's books are so informative and so inexpensive that anyone interested enough to be on this forum WILL benefit from any of them.

Travis, what part of GA are you in?

Main thing is make sure you construct your pond so it will hold water.. Leaks are the worst.. Seal and compact correctly make sure your dam is built correctly and your drainage system is built of good quality products.. Remember dry ponds don't hold too many trophy's

Harris county, ga, just north of columbus

Even though its been dry for all these years. The pond was there for atleast 40 yrs. i have no problem with the dam. I just removed the old pipe and put in a siphon. The old pipe broke off is the reason it all went dry.