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Tips on building a fishing pond?
Posted on 5/22/25 at 11:44 am
Posted on 5/22/25 at 11:44 am
I recently dug a pond and would like to be able to use it for fishing one day . Its around 150 yards x 30 yards , half of it is going to be about 6-8 ft deep and the other half about 25-30 ft deep (no water in it yet. ). Is there anything i should do at this point and along the way to make it a good fishing pond? it has an outlet but no water coming in other than rain. (would a free flowing water well be a good idea or would that be too cold?) i was trying to avoid running electricity for a fountain. Anybody have experience with a solar powered fountain? Located in central louisiana if that matters.
also when, how many and what kind/size of fish should i put to start out? I was thinking bass but not that crazy about catfish unless thats the best option.
thanks for any input
also when, how many and what kind/size of fish should i put to start out? I was thinking bass but not that crazy about catfish unless thats the best option.
thanks for any input
This post was edited on 5/22/25 at 11:46 am
13
Posted on 5/22/25 at 11:57 am to EvrybodysAllAmerican
quote:seriously?
the other half about 25-30 ft deep
you're gonna have some low oxygen problems there especially in the summer. before it fills up i would look hard at an electric aerator or similar.
also if you do punch in a free flowing well, understand that that underground water is also going to be low in in dissolved oxygen
Posted on 5/22/25 at 11:58 am to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Do you know a free flowing well will work in your area? I’m no pond expert, but seems like the cart is ahead of the horse without a natural water source.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 11:59 am to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Sizable shallow area 3’ or less deep preferably with a layer of gravel for spawning.
Structure structure structure…need places to hide
Solar aeration
Plan for feeding…for better quality fish if desired
Structure structure structure…need places to hide
Solar aeration
Plan for feeding…for better quality fish if desired
Posted on 5/22/25 at 12:02 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Def need a shallow end w shelf 2-5’.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 12:16 pm to redfish99
All the above is great advice. Aerator, shallow end, structure, shade, and feed.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 12:20 pm to redfish99
would it be worthwhile to get a pond management company out there? if soat what point would you reccomend? i guess they would check pH and o2 levels etc. and advise me from there.
i didnt have much say in the depth of the pond, but could probably move some stuff around before it fills with water.
thanks for the feedback
i didnt have much say in the depth of the pond, but could probably move some stuff around before it fills with water.
thanks for the feedback
Posted on 5/22/25 at 12:45 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
For fish, do bluegill and shellcracker (redear) first and give them a year to settle in, grow, and reproduce, establish their population. Then put in bass.
With a bluegill feeding program, they get bigger faster and lay exponentially more eggs with each spawn, which turn into little bluegill which feed your bass which makes bigger bass. In ponds of this size, feeding the bluegill will result in excellent bass size, assuming you harvest the correct amount of bass each year. Small bass actually taste pretty good and the fillets make excellent fried fish po-boys.
Don't put in crappie.
Catfish is more controversial, regarding how much they can actually spawn in small water vs being competitors with the bass for top of the food chain.
With a bluegill feeding program, they get bigger faster and lay exponentially more eggs with each spawn, which turn into little bluegill which feed your bass which makes bigger bass. In ponds of this size, feeding the bluegill will result in excellent bass size, assuming you harvest the correct amount of bass each year. Small bass actually taste pretty good and the fillets make excellent fried fish po-boys.
Don't put in crappie.
Catfish is more controversial, regarding how much they can actually spawn in small water vs being competitors with the bass for top of the food chain.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 2:17 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
POND BOSS is a good website with forums.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 4:18 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
quote:definitely build a wide shallow shelf, and get a couple of tandems of river gravel (cheapest you can find) and dump it on the shelf
but could probably move some stuff around before it fills with water.
see if theres any big oak stumps you can get your hands on, those make great sunken shelter. if you can, throw them in at about 10- 12'. theres really not going to be fish in that 30' depth area unless its mid summer, and as noted you are going to have to work hard to keep O2 levels up in that deep water
Posted on 5/22/25 at 4:47 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
I would recommed you look at BAMA BASS on youtube. Scroll through his videos starting 3-4 years ago where he begins building his own pond. A lot of good information there and gives advice on the mistakes he made so you can avoid
Posted on 5/22/25 at 7:29 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Pond Boss forum is the place to go. I built a two acre pond last year and was able to get tons of good advice over there.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 7:31 pm to LSUA 75
quote:
POND BOSS is a good website with forums.
That site is like drinking through a firehose for beginners.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 7:33 pm to GrandIsle12
quote:
I would recommed you look at BAMA BASS on youtube. Scroll through his videos starting 3-4 years ago where he begins building his own pond. A lot of good information there and gives advice on the mistakes he made so you can avoid
I disagree. I follow him for entertainment, but he has a seemingly unlimited budget to make his own pond paradise that isn't applicable to most pond people.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 7:35 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
quote:
Its around 150 yards x 30 yards , half of it is going to be about 6-8 ft deep and the other half about 25-30 ft deep
That’d make an awesome swimming pool
Posted on 5/22/25 at 7:58 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Probably should have done this before you dug, but your Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office can offer free advice on building, stocking, and maintaining a farm pond. You can hear their advice and take it or leave it.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 8:02 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Paging NASCAR. He’s the resident pond expert
Posted on 5/22/25 at 8:39 pm to Twenty 49
quote:
Probably should have done this before you dug, but your Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office can offer free advice
I disagree.
Never ever ever ever ever call the government or government affiliate for any advice or help or free this or that, regarding ponds and lakes. Never ever ever do this.
All of your professional advice should come from 100% private companies. Yes they charge money. But trust me, the "free advice" from the government will cost you a lot more money in the long term.
Posted on 5/22/25 at 8:45 pm to deeprig9
I found my NRCS office to be less than helpful, far less.
Posted on 5/23/25 at 6:29 am to EvrybodysAllAmerican
Make sure it holds water first
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