Fixing To Start New Pond Need Some Tips/advice

[Thomasmgp]

We finally got all the permits and funding to start our pond on the farm we have. Will begin clearing in a few weeks. Not going to be huge probably only 7-8 acres. But while I have been fishing since I was like 6 this is the first pond we will be building and I dont know anything about what to do. If location matters I live in South Carolina about middle of the state. Stays warm year round. Can still be 70s in December-Feb so it wont be freezing. When they do the clearing should I save all the stumps to use as cover? There are some big oaks in there we plan on leaving up either on small islands or just digging around them but other than that I think all the trees are coming down. My dad knows the guy whos going to do the digging but I dont know if its just a few local guys with some trackhoes or they are actually pretty good at digging ponds and know how to do it right. But what should I do about depth and how far off the edge should it begin to drop down and then do you want a gentle slope or steep drop off? Also where should I set up cover for my bass in the forms of those stumps and maybe some downed trees and if anyone knows of other things that we could use that would be great. The area has been cut before so there wont me much of anything in the form of overhanging branches. I used to love fishing under those cause they always seemed to hold bass and bream. Is there anything we can do to substitute for the lack of that kind of stuff? Anything good we can plant along the water's edge that will grow and provide overhanging cover? Sorry I can keep asking questions forever but then this will turn into 5 pages. So will just let people throw out helpful advice. If you have dug a few ponds of your own and can offer some advice that would be great. Also any other advice regarding adding anything that will help my fish grow fast would be great too. And just mainly need to know about how to add places for bass to hang out. I mean when I go fishing I know what to look for and where they are but when building your first pond I dont want to over look anything.

[A-Jay]

Welcome to BR ~ !

This site contains a ton of info on many subjects -

Just so happens Lake Management is one of them.

Check it out . . .

A-Jay

http://www.bassresource.com/lake-management/

[J Francho]

Check out Pond Boss as well.

[Thomasmgp]

Thanks been googling everything possible but I dont want to go overboard.

[Gatorbassman]

I have built a couple of ponds and I have worked with one of the best biologist/pond builders in the country (The Pond Boss). I live just over the GA/SC border so I fish the same type of water. First of all, I wouldn't use those stumps exclusively. They will eventually rot and be gone. Build your cover out of plastic. You want them to last a lifetime. Build lots of it and locate it in groups along key areas along the creek channel, on points and on top of ledges. Make cover for the small fish too. I like using plastic milk crates turned upside down on the bottom. Anchor them down in 3 to 5 ft of water and put them in groups of 10 or more. The small fish use them for cover to keep from getting eaten. Then one day they will be to big to go back inside and they will be a big meal for your bass. Put in a few large rock piles out in deep water for the bass to hang on in summer and winter. You can make them out of rubble from a demolition site where they tour down something made out of brick or concrete.

Before they dig, mark out a couple of places where they can create a point, make some short ledges. (1 or 2 ft drops) Your bottom contour is probably the most important thing. You've got to have shallow and deep water. A lake that is too shallow will get to hot in the summer and kill some fish. A lake that has very little shallow water will make it hard for your fish to reproduce in numbers and also make fishing more difficult.

Like has already been said. Check out our articles about pond management. And check out www.pondboss.com. If you need someone to come and take a look at it just shoot me a PM. I'd be glad to.

[Thomasmgp]

As to size since ours will be 7-8 acres is that a small pond or medium sized pond? Im horrible at understanding measurements. If it was up to me I would just use one of our 75 acre fields as part of the pond but dont think the farmer would go for that idea and neither would the deer.

[Gatorbassman]

7 to 8 acres is a good sized pond. Most farm ponds are less than 3 acres.

[Thomasmgp]

OK been reading that lake management stuff and holy crap is this going to be a lot of work. I figured digging a pond was just send a guy in with a trackhoe and a dozer and then fill it with water and fish. Also my dad said the guys we are bringing in quote "Know their ****". so I guess thats good. Also to solve the lack of over hanging cover whats good to plant along the edge? I also thought about maybe having a nice sized fake dock with 2-3 boat slips built somewhere to provide some more cover as well. We plan on setting some fish traps on the river to get some adult fish but how long should we wait if stocking with mostly juvis before throwing in larger, adult fish? I dont wanna toss in a few adult bass and have them gorge themselves on everything we stocked. And the big question. After its finally finished and stocked how many years before you should fish it?

[flyfisher]

I am by no means a pond expert but you might want to check your regs to see if 1 trapping for game fish is legal and 2 is it legal to stock those fish in another lake and 3 are you going to be transporting any types of diseases by using said fish.

I have always wanted enough room to make a nice pond and someday i will do it

[Surveyor]

Putting adult fish in the pond sounds good at face value but is a very bad idea. They will eat all the fry you stock it with and the pond will "START" off unbalanced.

A pond this size requires close monitoring to keep it in balance and producing quality fish. Check with your local ASCS office and game officials for recommendations on when and how many of each species you stock it with. Some states will supply the fish at no cost or at least a reasonable price.

For cover along the banks, willows, maybe even cypress. A few Catualba (sp) even supplies bait.

I have built many ponds and am a believer in leaving lots of treetops and stumps.

My dad and I built a 75 ac pond in 1964 and many of the stumps, trees are still there and are fish producers. A tree floating to the top with a root ball on the bottom is hard to beat even if it has been there nearly 50 yrs.

Islands are good too. Be sure to leave a min of 4' of water right up to the banks around the islands especially. This helps eliminate some weeds and you can toss a couple of treetops right up to the edge. Killer spot for a jig or t-rigg.

Boat slips are a bit much for a small pond but that depends on how many folks you gonna have fishing. I have just one twin boathouse but keep my guest very limited.

Definitely build a dock that your bride can sunbathe on and you can bait up some bream for the kids (grandkids). We even have a Christmas tree on ours.

GL and enjoy.

[Sam]

Check out Pond Boss as well.

X2

[bass1980]

This thread is my dream thread. I only have 1 acre. One day....one day. Good luck sir.

[PABASS]

PA has nice information about water management, explains how they are built and give technical drawings as well.

Check out this site

http://fishandboat.com/habitat.htm

scroll down to//

PA Artificial Habitat Structure Standard Drawings

[Thomasmgp]

I guess you gotta start somewhere....

BEFORE:

[J Francho]

Keep updating us to the progress with pics!

[carrollton-fisher]

Two things. My friend made a couple of big holes, about the size of a car that was deeper than everywhere else. Also, he god a few hundred pounds of crawfish and dumped them in to get a healthy population of crawfish.

[Thomasmgp]

Just wish I had some cypress trees up here like I do down in my swamps. Are there any trees other than Cypress that can still live if surrounded by water that wouldnt take until Im 75 to grow?

[Thomasmgp]

Great seems the snakes got the memo a new pond was going in. Workers found 2 cottonmouths.