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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
I'm in the process of building a .4-.5 acre pond with a max depth of 10-12'. My goal is to raise eating sized bluegill, and some decent 2-3# large mouth bass. Mainly just a fun place for the kiddos to fish and to be able to support a fish fry a couple times a year. When it comes to habitat I was thinking of doing a few pallet structures, some rock piles, and a pea gravel section of a bank. Then a couple tree tops stacked on top of each other. Am i missing anything? also, i'd love some suggestions on stocking. Thanks!
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 14,950 Likes: 407
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 14,950 Likes: 407 |
If you are anywhere near Middle TN check with Mike Gray before moving any dirt. This fellow is one of the BEST pond builders in the whole TN region. Tell him Pond Boss sent you. http://www.grayconstruction.net/Your goals are very achievable for a 0.4ac pond. Best results for the BG and achieving your 2lb to 3 lb LMB goal is to be sure to buy pellet trained LMB and feed them pellets with a minimum of 40% protein. Optimal fish food grows big BG the fastest, Optimal also has a special bass pellet. With high quality protein pellets and good bottom aeration you will grow some amazing fish in terms of numbers and sizes a small pond that size. Start with fatheads and small BG, feed them, allow them to grow and then in Fall or the next spring add the juvenile 4”-6”LMB. If available for you, also consider adding some specklebelly sunfish. They will cross with BG but the initial stockers will be impressive to the sizes they obtain. These hybrid cross of BGXRES can grow to 2+ pounds with pellet feeding. If it were my pond I would use the LMB as 4"-6" size that have a longer pellet training - eating growth time to insure best pellet habituation and fastest growth once stocked. In 24-30 months done right, 2 lb LMB could be produced. When establishing structure the best fishery is produced when the structure encompasses 15% -20% of the shoreline. Create fish cities of structure groupings not just some scattered fish attractor structures. Grouping the structures is important to improving the overall fishery. They do not need to be in the bottom and deepest area; best placement is in 12" to 5ft of water. The best structure refuge areas provide cover and protection of small fish and the larger fish will learn to be near those areas or groupings. Learn more about proper habitat: https://www.buzzsprout.com/976324/3322504-episode-001-fish-habitatsIdeas https://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463
Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/20/23 03:59 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
Dirt is being moved as I type so a little late on that front haha. I will have to see if I can find the Specklebelly any near by to stock. I'm planning on hopefully buying a cheaper auto feeder. If that doesn't work feeding will be a fun thing to do with the boys i guess.. I'm also looking into some DIY solar aerators, the pond is about 750 ft away from any existing power and i don't want to trench through the woods that separating it from my house/shop power.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 27,962 Likes: 644
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 27,962 Likes: 644 |
Dirt is being moved as I type so a little late on that front haha. I will have to see if I can find the Specklebelly any near by to stock. I'm planning on hopefully buying a cheaper auto feeder. If that doesn't work feeding will be a fun thing to do with the boys i guess.. I'm also looking into some DIY solar aerators, the pond is about 750 ft away from any existing power and i don't want to trench through the woods that separating it from my house/shop power. You can directionally bore the aeration tubing underground cheaper than buying a solar aerator. The fish need aeration at night the most, so without a big enough battery bank the solar will only work during the day. The only "cheap" feeder that I'd recommend is a hanging deer type feeder that throws food in a 360° circle. you can put a shield on part of it to stop it from throwing towards the pier. If you need to put it on the bank, you will need some sort of pivoting hanger that will allow you to hang it out over the water about 10'-15' from shore but pivot it back to shore to fill it. Filling it from a boat is a royal PITA. Been there, done that and won't do it again.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
I figured if I could run a solar setup 3-5 hours at night off a battery bank it would be much better than nothing. Also, that's exactly the type of feeder i was thinking of. I'm going to build a small dock i think and i would hang it off the corner and shield it like you said.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
What's everyone's thoughts on stocking 200 or so PK shrimp when i first stock the pond? Will they use tree tops and my other structures as enough cover? or do they have to have vegetation to hide in?
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
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Putting PK Shrimp in won't hurt anything, and you're right to make sure they have proper structure to thrive.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,922 Likes: 172
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,922 Likes: 172 |
I also would put them in…. Mine went ape in my pond and now can’t scoop up a bucket of water without catching some. They are thick in the slender spike rush that is all around the pond out to6-8’ deep
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
Will wood piles and that type of structure be enough? or do I need vegetation growing? Pat, I'm assuming that it's been a huge boom to your BG and Largemouth?
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,383 Likes: 246
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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See the structure archive for ideas. Wood piles are good. Importantly bunch structure together with some at all depths and some off the banks.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
How well do pine trees work for cover? I have many more pine trees than I care to have so it would be handy to throw a few tops in the pond. Didn't know if they could somehow mess up PH or something like that. That'd be about my luck haha.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent  Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
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How well do pine trees work for cover? I have many more pine trees than I care to have so it would be handy to throw a few tops in the pond. Didn't know if they could somehow mess up PH or something like that. That'd be about my luck haha. Cut them, let them turn brown on shore, see if you can knock the majority of the needles off. Just less material to go into the pond to add to the nutrient load.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
While waiting on the weather to dry out and warm up i've been thinking a fair amount about the pond. Any have thoughts on YP or Tilapia in middle TN? I especially like the idea of some YP. Think it'd be a neat fish to grow and harvest.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,847 Likes: 128
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,847 Likes: 128 |
Most everyone who has YP in their pond has reported only upsides and no downsides. Never heard of anyone who didn't like eating them. If you get pellet trained YP you will find they grow very well and are active feeders in lower light times of day. They have many advantages over other panfish (including easy to control their numbers)
Tilapia if legal are also a great forage fish option with little downside or interference with your other goals for your stocked fish.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,795 Likes: 274
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,795 Likes: 274 |
Tilapia have the advantage of algae control, though they will prey on smaller fish at times. Good to eat when taken from clean water. The only issue is that they can be hard to catch, unlike perch.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS -86
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
From what i've read the only real downside to YP is that if there is LMB in the pond they'll eat most of the YP fry? If i put them in at same time as BG and let them spawn 1-2 times before I add bass there should be a decent enough number of them in the pond. And if i have to supplement every couple years that's not a huge deal. I love the idea of some variety in the pond.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,383 Likes: 246
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,383 Likes: 246 |
How well do pine trees work for cover? I have many more pine trees than I care to have so it would be handy to throw a few tops in the pond. Didn't know if they could somehow mess up PH or something like that. That'd be about my luck haha. You could just add a little lime to offset any effect. No big deal.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,383 Likes: 246
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014  Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,383 Likes: 246 |
From what i've read the only real downside to YP is that if there is LMB in the pond they'll eat most of the YP fry? If i put them in at same time as BG and let them spawn 1-2 times before I add bass there should be a decent enough number of them in the pond. And if i have to supplement every couple years that's not a huge deal. I love the idea of some variety in the pond. Is your water cool enough for good YP growth?
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,736 Likes: 511
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,736 Likes: 511 |
Is your water cool enough for good YP growth? Bob is well south of I-40, one of our important fish geographic break points. However, Snipe's YP seem to be thriving at his location in NW Kansas. I believe Snipe's AVERAGE water temperature will be significantly lower than the OP's pond. However, I am not sure that the summer peak water temperature in the OP's pond would be too much higher than Snipe's water temperature. (He is located in an area with a huge seasonal temperature differential.) I don't know which number is most important for YP to thrive outside of their "ideal" range. I will leave that discussion up to the actual fish experts.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
I'm not sure on temps yet due to pond not being finished yet. But i know some rivers/lakes south of me have yellow perch populations so i wouldn't think it'd be completely out of the question.
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1 member likes this:
FishinRod |
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 14,950 Likes: 407
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 14,950 Likes: 407 |
YP will probably thrive in your pond. I would worry more about LMB for problems with YP than temperature problems. If you let the YP grow to 6"-8" before adding fingerling LMB and you have ample habitat cover as in 25% of the shoreline the YP should be able to maintain a breeding population providing you regularly harvest LMB and do not let them become abundant. Numbers of small perch the anglers are catching will give you a good idea or estimate of bass numbers. LMB at 15"-16" do not only eat YP fry but also they easily eat perch up to 7"-8". If you are a 16" LMB why spend hours catching 1"-2" YP when one 6" YP makes you very happy. Maintain ample cover for young mid size 1-2 year old YP. Feed all the fish good quality high protein pellets and all will grow well.
PK shrimp will create enough numbers to grow fish unless you have ample weed cover as noted by Pat Williamson. PK need vegetation to thrive and avoid predation. High protein pellets can take the place of PK shrimp. You ample habitat will grow a good community of invertebrates to sustain the lower food chain.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/16/23 08:16 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine - America's Journal of Pond Management
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,072 Likes: 431
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,072 Likes: 431 |
If YP are elected, choose a supplier closest to your region/climate.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
I'm planning on dumping a few hundred PK shrimp in as soon as I have water and crossing my fingers they can get something going. i will feed, but am also hoping if they get going i can feed less. . I can also buy yellow perch out of Nashville, so that should be close enough i'd imagine.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,847 Likes: 128
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 2,847 Likes: 128 |
I would ask the folks in Nashville where their fish came from and then where they Really (I mean originally before that stop!) came from. Nashville may be a drop off hub from a fish farm in Ohio or Indiana (or Kansas) etc. I'm learning that genetics is important but where the fish learned their 'habitat' in what the water is like, what they ate, how they fed etc etc determines how well they will do in your pond.
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Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8
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OP
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 91 Likes: 8 |
Good suggestion! Can never hurt to be more thorough.
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Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
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Hog Wild
by FireIsHot - 09/19/23 12:13 PM
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