# pond advice????



## taylorswalker (Oct 15, 2010)

I have a 3 acre spot of property that I want to have a pond dug on I was gonna stock mud minnows in it for the first year before interducing other fish to the pond any saggestion on what to do on managing a pond and spiecies I should stock it with?
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## vandestd (Aug 31, 2007)

I have a 1.5 acre pond thats 15 feet deep currently there are bass, gills, catfish, and a few perch. They seem to do really well together.


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## taylorswalker (Oct 15, 2010)

I had a guy tell me to let the minnows sit for a year so they get at least two generation of minnows est before other fish got interduced
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## vandestd (Aug 31, 2007)

Yes that's good advice that way there is a good food base when you stock it with other fish.


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## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

I didn't want to wait a year or 2 before adding my Bass and gills so I added 5 gal. of fathead minnows at the same time I added the Bass and gills. It worked out for me. OH-- I added a couple more gallons of fathead the next year just in case.


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## rieverr (Dec 7, 2010)

I did gills the first year and walleyes the 2nd
Theres so many frog n taddpolls bugs never had any problems and its about 3 acre


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## Mark Turner (Dec 24, 2004)

Don't forget to add some cover and spawning media for the minnows. Fatheads will love some old wood pallets and christmas trees.


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## taylorswalker (Oct 15, 2010)

Is there anything u would think bout using for cover or plants in the pond?
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## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

taylorswalker said:


> Is there anything u would think bout using for cover or plants in the pond?
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I made 22 different small brush piles at different depths. I use 22 5 gal. pails, drove re-rod through the bottom to hold them in place, added some branches ( big as your wrist, small as your thumb, 2 to 5' sticking out of the pail ) used the hard wood that was growing around the pond site, then put in 1 60# bag of ready mix to hold everything in place. Tight lines.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

What are your goals in having a pond?


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## taylorswalker (Oct 15, 2010)

Well we don't have to go off the farm for anything but pizza rolls lol but I just want another food source for the fam. And a place for the ducks to play. Sumthin the kids can fish in and catch sum nice pan friers
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## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

taylorswalker said:


> well we don't have to go off the farm for anything but pizza rolls lol but i just want another food source for the fam. And a place for the ducks to play. Sumthin the kids can fish in and catch sum nice pan friers
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## justjiggin (Dec 11, 2007)

I tossed around 4 dozen shiners in 2 yrs ago and they took off excellent. Then this last spring I added 40 Crappie they also seem to be doing well. Next spring it will be perch and more shiners.


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## slowpoke (Jan 30, 2001)

justjiggin said:


> I tossed around 4 dozen shiners in 2 yrs ago and they took off excellent. Then this last spring I added 40 Crappie they also seem to be doing well. Next spring it will be perch and more shiners.


Don't put shiners in you pond. There is only so much food in your pond for the fish to eat. Some shiners might get away from the game fish and grow to a large enough size so the game fish you want can't eat them. The large shiners then start eating the same food that your game fish is eating. I was told to just add fathead minnows, they don't get larger they 3" + after the water temperature get's 55% or warmer they have another batch every 28 days or so. There is a minnow farm near Lapeer where you can buy them buy the pound. Tight lines.


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## Rencoho (Oct 18, 2000)

Slowpoke, thats the same advice I was given when stocking my pond. I dont even use fatheads anymore, the bluegill fry seem to be enough for my bass. But I also give my fish pellets during warm weather months.


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## naterpM-37 (Jan 18, 2008)

Good base of food and structure and any pond will do fine. Mine is now just down to bluegills due to pond size and depth. We had bass and perch for a few years. Seems for bluegills and bass a lot of shallow cover is important such as brush and rocks. We had one smallmouth get to around 25 inches and have multiple bluegills at 10+. Best advice, flatheads and structure. Shiners will become large 5+ inches, and no good for a pond. Crappie are ok if you want to eat them on a regular basis but could overrun a pond. They eat everything and spawn in large numbers. Friends pond now has hundreds upon hundreds of specks, stunting everything else and the pond is around 5 ac. Good luck! Wonderful way to spend a day making the best spot to fish.


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## taylorswalker (Oct 15, 2010)

Yea we are startin diggin this spring can't wait
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## rieverr (Dec 7, 2010)

Ur flathead minnows will come if u plant them or not.. ur ducks and wet birds will bring in the eggs from other places


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## taylorswalker (Oct 15, 2010)

What do u guys think about catfish or bullhead being interduced
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## basshunter125 (Mar 31, 2011)

taylorswalker said:


> What do u guys think about catfish or bullhead being interduced
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Better be deep and sink some logs for habitat. My grandma has a huge 50ftx60ft pond thats 25 feet deep with a 100ft long river 15ft wide thats 15ft deep. We thought about stocking it but never got around to it


=BASS


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