Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Best Way to mark Structure

I have read some ideas on marking structure and was wondering what others think works best. I am just now placing structure and was thinking of tieing a rope to the structure and floating a duck decoy at the other end.

Anyone tried this or know of a better way that looks half way natural?

Hey Johnstaci...
I think you're on the right track. Take a look .

I like the looks of a duck decoy but they bring in the flying/floating toilets. I know that some people like them but I don't need the mess.

Dave,

Here are some Predator Control items we use in garden ponds. They might make a unique "Hot Spot" marker too!

Boy, Cary; the baby looks evil.

My areas of structure are next to underwater islands. In the spring, I'm going to plant water lilies on them. Then when the lilies grow, I'll know just were everything is.

Before anybody tells me how bad lilies can be, I dug my pond with them in mind. For me, I'd rather have lilies than fish.

Eddie

I take my friends bluegill fishing and mark my structure with their floats where they broke off while getting hung up.

For now, I've tied the opener of a drink can to a small rope and used just enough rope to mark the pile. Once I can mark the brush with my depth finder on a regular basis, I'll remove the cans.

Now this is what I need to get rid of the trespassers! I'd gladly pay my last dollar to see the looks on their faces when they see an alligator on top of the pond.

I'm in the process of renovating my pond (that means I'm waiting impatiently for the contractor to start up again). I plan on adding PVC "trees", poly drum "reefs" and some rock piles. Rather than mark the structure I'll just take pictures of everything before the pond fills back up so I have a record of where stuff is. Not sure I want to know exactly where everything is - I need to keep some of the challenge in finding the fish.

I purchased floating bouys at wallyworld for 5$ each

You may get your mystery anyway. I took pictures of the permanent structure before the pond filled and can only find half of it.

Since all of my present structure comes to within 4 feet of the surface, I mounted a bottom half of a 30 gallon drum as a large flower pot on top of all of my structures and filled it with fertile mud. In some I've planted arrowroot and others lilly pads. Since the plants are rooted in plastic pots suspended at minimum 3 feet off the bottom sediment, I haven't had problems with the plants spreading beyond the pots (2 seasons experience now) and the plants die off in winter to below the ice and they look pretty natural.

You could mark it with the floating islands that Bob Lusk talked about too.

GPS

Bill Cody - GPS is good, but you still need a sonar unit to really get on top of your structure. I believe GPS is only accurate to +- 16 feet or so. You could potentially be off by 32 feet so it just gets you close.

Tie on one of the plastic lily pads you can find on a watergarden/koi pond site. with or without flower, your choice.

We use duck decoys and stringers. Kinda serves a dual purpose.

...until the ducks wise up, that is.

Here is what vwe have come up with to locate cribs when being installed.
fishiding structurespot markers structurespot markers

Duck decoys here. But, I've noticed that about 50% of them have to be changed out every year. Taking on water because of getting squeezed in the ice, squirrel chewing the top of the head off (on the ice), etc.

I liked the idea I saw in a recent PB magazine of using 3/4 or 1 inch plastic conduit jammed in the bottom. Unlike anything with rope, it would be pretty hard to snag a hook on. Believe me, you'll get daring and cast closer and closer until you catch it.

Nice ideas..i'm going for marking structure....this will be helpful for me.thanks for everything....this is a very useful thread that will be referenced long into the future.

Just an idea, I do it with pop bottles to keep them afloat and mark minnow traps, and the duck is diffent cause it doesnt have a lid.

I fill them with Great Stuff. Mabeye you could cover the hole as is its small, and it might not matter if water did get inside once its full of floatant.

I would love to try and make an island to, I just need a pond to keep it at.



How well do alligators survive under ice?? hehe. pretty neet stuff. Was that a small solar panel on the head for some thing?? my eyes could be playing tricks

Or hooked fish running through the lines and breaking them off...

Don't know about winter survival but I found this re the solar panel: Alligator w/Solar Light Eyes
Use this realistic looking alligator head to keep away predators. Floats in your pond. Solar-powered light-up eyes. No batteries required. On/Off switch included. Can be anchored with a weight to keep it in one area.

Measures 20" L x 7.5" W x 5" H.