Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Renovating a Pond or Lake? Starting a New Older Pond

Hey everyone.

I'm in south Louisiana and have a pond that is around 1 1/2 acres and about 25 years old. It was an old shooting range we had we built a levee on one end. It is 475' long and 157' wide and shaped that a tree top.

The pond had become overgrown with common salvania, alligator grass, etc. Over the past 15 years it had become unable to use.

I started the process of removing the grass last week from the surface and have about 90% cleaned except for residual growing around the banks that will be sprayed later this week. I plan on spraying with Roundup custom, diquat, and a surfactant.

I have been in touch with LSU Ag center about water tests and was reassured that the water quality was probably still good with the ability to grow vegitation, clarity and depth.

The pond averages about 5-8' deep with one 20x20 spot on one end that is 15-18'.
Water clarity was always a problem being about to see between 5-6' deep.

A few days ago I introduced around 1500 native bluegill and have been supplemental feeding. Was recommended to utilize the bluegill to keep down green sun fish and catfish overtaking the pond.

I plan to add fathead minnows in the next few weeks.

There had seemed to be zero fish activity after the majority of the vegetation was removed. I suspected the cause of thick vegetation and 2 hurricanes that pretty much hit us dead on last year. This was the reason I had started to restock.

I'm looking to put in a good aeration system on a couple of spots. One on the deepest spot and one around 150 ft away. Looking for recommendations on good systems for this type of application.

The pond is also in line with drainage from a cow pond. I was recommended not to fertilize the pond and instead use dye but want as natural looking as possible while being able to solve the clarity problem.

I would like to make this pond a descent trophy pond with the ability to fish and just enjoy everyday.

I use to fish this pond everyday when I was younger and there was no management to it whatsoever.
I now have control over this pond and would like to manage and grow it to the best of my ability.

The biggest driving factor is to get it back to where it was 15 years ago where you could catch 10-15 bass in the evening with the occasion 5-6# fish. Bigger the better. I would like my son to enjoy it when he gets older, his friends, cousins, and other family members so the kids can get out and do something.

I just want to be assured I'm heading I the right direction and gain some knowledge on the way.
Looking forward to everyone's input and recommendations and getting to know everyone.

My personal belief is that you will need bass. Only bass can control bluegill spawns and only bluegills can spawn enough to feed bass.

I do plan on adding some. Not sure if I want to add this summer or wait until next.

If you want 5-6 pounders give your bluegill and minnows a chance to grow.
You have craws in already?

You may need to aerate the one section that is deeper.

Dontforget a few dozen wood pallets with bricks to weigh em down for the FHM to spawn on.

To size an aeration system for your pond, you will need to determine how many gallons of water it holds and provide it's shape. If you are looking for a turnkey system as opposed to a DIY one, Vertex and Matala are brands that get mentioned here at PB regularly. Essup, a member here will be able to help with a turnkey system or the DIY components. Here's his website...

www.hoosierpondpros.com

If you want to get into the nitty gritty of aeration...supply a satellite image or drawing of the pond with dimensions and depths and we can start noodling a DIY design.

The following area of the PB forums is a great place to get your feet wet on aeration...

https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm&c=6

CityDad- Craws... Crawfish? I havnt put any into the pond, that's really the first I've heard about crawfish if so. I do plan on adding pallets and some blocks for structure.

Quarter Acre - I was curious about aeration. I'm undecided if I should. Never had problems with fish kills or algae before. Now worried about areators in a pond that is so old.