Putting in a New Lake

brobrian · 03-03-06, 08:56 PM

My dad is putting in a pond/lake very shortly. The lake will likely be 20-25ft deep. He ideally wants bass, catfish, bluegill, and maybe crappiel. He really does not want to have it "stocked" by KDFWR, but we know several people that fish at KY Lake who are willing bring back their keepers and put them in the lake and people who fish the Ohio River for catfish that are willing to put them in there as well.
Do any you have any tips for making these pond as bass friendly as possible? Any websites that you might be able to point me to? One doesn't get a chance to start from scratch very often and I really want to do this right so that the fishing will be good for generations (see previous "Good Day" post

) to come.
Thanks in advance for your time and input.
Bro. Brian
Psalm 1:1-6

lizardsrule · 03-03-06, 09:14 PM

Put in some PVC trees, they last forever, and will be gret cover. Also rock piles, and if possible something of a channel, where you have deeper water next to a flat of some sort for spawning areas. Other than that, if it's a big pond, I would take a lot of time figuring it out. You also need some vegetation. And if possible I would build it on a creek, always nice to have running water. I'm jealous

These are some of the things I would do, just my preference. About a zillion other things will work also, like any old tires, abandoned vehicles, just make sure ther aren't any bodies in them first LOL etc... Not sure if he has a website, but Ray Scott(Founder of BASS) has a business of building fisheries. He may have a site where you could get some good info.

Lizards

bass kicker · 03-03-06, 09:19 PM

i read an article can find it right now for every hundred bass there can only be roughly 1000 blue gills and no crappie or cat fish or your bass will be stunted (that is per acer)

bass kicker · 03-03-06, 09:22 PM

oh the magizine was bassmasters and it was one of last years issues there was a whole section on making ponds/lakes

flfireman · 03-03-06, 10:40 PM

grass eating carp, shiners, minnows. Make sure you get the right catfish for the pond, river cats may not do well in a small pond. You said 20-25 ft deep, how many acres is it.

IL.bassin36 · 03-03-06, 10:42 PM

Hey I live only 3o minutes from our state fish hatchery. They have a ton of info on stocking programs and I'd be glad to swing by and pick em up for ya.

http://http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/...rt/litgras.htm Heres a link to the place.

This hatchery works closly with this guy http://http://ws1.coopfish.siu.edu/fishweb/RCH.htm

He's supposed to be one of the best in the country.

bass kicker · 03-03-06, 10:42 PM

minnows would be a good idea not so sure about the crap though you dont want the bass to be stunted

RatLTrap · 03-04-06, 03:13 AM

I had a couple ponds that were already there but with no fish... so i just caught some bass and put them in... i only put probably 20-30 bass in this place and that was just a couple years ago and now the places are just overloaded with nice big juicy bass

brobrian · 03-04-06, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Hey I live only 3o minutes from our state fish hatchery. They have a ton of info on stocking programs and I'd be glad to swing by and pick em up for ya.

I greatly appreciate the offer and the info. PM me your address and give an idea about how much info there so I can send you a stamped envelope.

Quote:

how many acres is it

It will really depend on what happens on when the digging starts. Apparently there are some natural springs running under the ground so they may feed the lake, but it could also hinder exactly where the levee could be put and so on. However, the best quess would be around 11/2 acres and 2 at best.
Thanks for all your info. Please keep it coming. I cannot tell you how much I learn from this site. (There are some things I wish I didn't know: see non-fish related talk

!) Thanks Kevin.
Bro. Brian
Psalm 1:1-6

pretjah · 03-06-06, 03:59 PM

wow isn't 25 feet deep for 2 acres?

KenDammit · 03-06-06, 04:07 PM

it depends on how the depth is set up as to whether 25 feet is deep for 2 acres. If the hole pond is gonna be that deep, then yeah thats pretty darn deep. I wouldn't make the majority of the depth more than 8-10..if even that deep. Then again, I probably wouldn't go deeper than 15 at max, anyway.

For information on anything to do with ponds..go here.

www.pondboss.com

IL.bassin36 · 03-10-06, 12:03 AM

Crud. BroBrian I forgot about you till just now. I wrote myself a note and I'll run and get the info for you tomorrow. P.M. me your address and I think I'll have time to get it in the mail tomorrow too.

K-Driz · 03-10-06, 01:27 AM

Don't get grass carp. They'll just muddy up the water. Also, when they are young, they'll eat the grass and aquatic insects in the grass, thereby eliminating the bluegill foodsource and grass that serves as cover for the gills. The worst part about grass carp is that when they get to a large enough size, they start to eat the smaller baitfish, which is bluegill and bass food. I've read that you need to allow the stocked bluegill two years of spawning so that they become established and then introduce your bass after that and to allow them one successful spawn before fishing your pond. Good luck with your pond.

KenDammit · 03-10-06, 04:17 AM

Grass carp will never eat another fish, unless you mean fry..which will be rare. Adults are strictly herbivores that will eat the rare bug or something similiar floating on the surface. I have also never seen them muddy water because they are not scavenger fish. About the ONLY problems I've seen or heard of with grass carp are overstocking and eliminating all aquatic plantlife. Its possible that water can become turbid from lack of plant life filtering the water, but its not very likely with proper stocking. I wouldn't stock grass carp right off the bat, choosing to wait for a period to let preferred fish use the cover to grow. After that, if I determined I had a vegetation problem, I'd then use grass carp stocked VERY moderately.

CreekGeek22 · 03-10-06, 10:03 AM

I've seen a couple of articles in Bassmaster that showed fabricated structure for ponds/lakes. With the first one, you take a cinder block and lay it on its side. Then insert 20-30 pieces of various lengths of rubber/flexible tubing. In the magazine picture it was black tubing, not sure exactly what it was. Then secure the tubing in the cinder block by filling it with concrete. When your done, it should look like the top of a palm tree. The flexing tubes allow fish to hide and swim around in it. The second piece was done by some college students. They took corrugated drain pipe and fixed it together to create a sphere, anywhere from 4' - 6' tall. They tied bricks/blocks to the bottom of it to anchor it down. They called them "Fish Condos" if my memory serves correct. I've also seen ponds under construction where people have just stacked bricks/blocks in pillars at various heights.
And don't forget to draw out a map of where you put all these different things!

everettvet · 03-10-06, 11:55 AM

Ponds can be a great place to fish if they are managed correctly. 25 feet deep seems a little deep to me. My dad built one just west of Paducah in July of 2001 and stocked it in October of that year. It is 1.25 acres and the deepest point is 11 feet. It is stocked with Bass, bluegill and catfish.

What great timing! Dad just called and I asked him how he knew how many fish to put in the pond. Dad said that you can contact the state fish and wildlife department for advice or there is a book that a lot of the local farm stores have that is produced by the state. Contacting the state does not mean that they will stock it. Dad had a private vendor stock the pond. Send me a private message if you want more info or would like to see the pond. I am really proud of it. Last summer I caught a 4 pound 8 ounce bass out of it! The blue gill are 8-9 inches in length and the catfish are huge! By the way, he did stock a few grass carp when the pond was 2-3 years old. He puts fertlizer in the pond and takes great care of it. I have fished it once this year. March 1 I caught 3 bass. Two of the fish was in the 2 pound class and the third was 1.25 pounds. Not huge fish, but they were all caught within 10 casts. That 5-10 minutes was a blast! I hope this weather will settle out and I can make the repairs to my roof and siding from last nights storm and go fishing! Contact me if I can be of help.

everettvet · 03-10-06, 12:04 PM

I just thought of a good fish attractor. Do you know anyone who raised tobacco in the past? If so they may have a lot of old tobacco sticks. I don't think there would be any problems with using old tobacco sticks. Place them in a little concrete and the fish will be there. We used old fence boards and ripped them down to size and drove them with a sledge hammer into the floor of the pond. The boards were a great idea and the sledge hammer was not. You could get boxes from a store for a concrete form and place the sticks in the concrete as it gets dry. Just an idea.

everettvet · 03-10-06, 12:33 PM

By the way, NEVER introduce fish from another lake/pond into your pond. It can throw off the balance (numbers) of the fish in a pond and most importantly, it can introduce disease to your pond that may not be there. It is not a smart move to introduce problems into a new fishery. Dig the pond, stock it, manage it well and dream about the fish you will catch for a year or two and then have some fun!!

I will stop tying up this thread now...Until I have another idea.

Christopherkeene9 · 03-10-06, 12:57 PM

Those black pipes sticking out of the cinder was probably PVC flex pipe. It's expensive even at landscapers prices. Depending on the size. I know off the top of my head that 1" is 1.10 a foot landscapers price.

Chris

bass kicker · 03-10-06, 02:48 PM

that could be an awsome pond to fish once its down

everettvet · 03-10-06, 06:08 PM

Kicker,
I agree this pond will have the potential to be a lunker pond in a few years.

Brobrian,
Please keep us up to date on the progress of the pond! Pics of it once the digging is done would be great!

03-03-06, 08:56 PM	#1
brobrian BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Henderson, KY Posts: 49	Putting in a New Lake My dad is putting in a pond/lake very shortly. The lake will likely be 20-25ft deep. He ideally wants bass, catfish, bluegill, and maybe crappiel. He really does not want to have it "stocked" by KDFWR, but we know several people that fish at KY Lake who are willing bring back their keepers and put them in the lake and people who fish the Ohio River for catfish that are willing to put them in there as well. Do any you have any tips for making these pond as bass friendly as possible? Any websites that you might be able to point me to? One doesn't get a chance to start from scratch very often and I really want to do this right so that the fishing will be good for generations (see previous "Good Day" post ) to come. Thanks in advance for your time and input. Bro. Brian Psalm 1:1-6 __________________ Henderson, KY

03-03-06, 09:14 PM	#2
lizardsrule BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saint Augustine, FL Posts: 7,374	Put in some PVC trees, they last forever, and will be gret cover. Also rock piles, and if possible something of a channel, where you have deeper water next to a flat of some sort for spawning areas. Other than that, if it's a big pond, I would take a lot of time figuring it out. You also need some vegetation. And if possible I would build it on a creek, always nice to have running water. I'm jealous These are some of the things I would do, just my preference. About a zillion other things will work also, like any old tires, abandoned vehicles, just make sure ther aren't any bodies in them first LOL etc... Not sure if he has a website, but Ray Scott(Founder of BASS) has a business of building fisheries. He may have a site where you could get some good info. Lizards __________________ There are three types of Snakes I hate 1. Live Snakes 2. Dead Snakes 3. Sticks that look like Snakes. And Gators too!

03-03-06, 09:19 PM	#3
bass kicker BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beamsville,ONTARIO,CANADA Posts: 2,023	i read an article can find it right now for every hundred bass there can only be roughly 1000 blue gills and no crappie or cat fish or your bass will be stunted (that is per acer) __________________ Rob Downs St. Catharines BASSMASTERS

03-03-06, 09:22 PM	#4
bass kicker BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beamsville,ONTARIO,CANADA Posts: 2,023	oh the magizine was bassmasters and it was one of last years issues there was a whole section on making ponds/lakes __________________ Rob Downs St. Catharines BASSMASTERS

03-03-06, 10:40 PM	#5
flfireman BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Palm Bay, Fl Posts: 2,751	grass eating carp, shiners, minnows. Make sure you get the right catfish for the pond, river cats may not do well in a small pond. You said 20-25 ft deep, how many acres is it. __________________ In the Lord all things are possible. Last edited by flfireman; 03-03-06 at 10:52 PM.

03-03-06, 10:42 PM	#6
IL.bassin36 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: So. ILL. Posts: 947	Hey I live only 3o minutes from our state fish hatchery. They have a ton of info on stocking programs and I'd be glad to swing by and pick em up for ya. http://http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/...rt/litgras.htm Heres a link to the place. This hatchery works closly with this guy http://http://ws1.coopfish.siu.edu/fishweb/RCH.htm He's supposed to be one of the best in the country.

03-04-06, 03:13 AM	#8
RatLTrap BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 2,059	I had a couple ponds that were already there but with no fish... so i just caught some bass and put them in... i only put probably 20-30 bass in this place and that was just a couple years ago and now the places are just overloaded with nice big juicy bass __________________ Roodhouse, Illinois

03-06-06, 03:59 PM	#10
pretjah BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 140	wow isn't 25 feet deep for 2 acres?

03-06-06, 04:07 PM	#11
KenDammit BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Richmond, KY Posts: 691	it depends on how the depth is set up as to whether 25 feet is deep for 2 acres. If the hole pond is gonna be that deep, then yeah thats pretty darn deep. I wouldn't make the majority of the depth more than 8-10..if even that deep. Then again, I probably wouldn't go deeper than 15 at max, anyway. For information on anything to do with ponds..go here. www.pondboss.com

03-10-06, 12:03 AM	#12
IL.bassin36 BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: So. ILL. Posts: 947	Crud. BroBrian I forgot about you till just now. I wrote myself a note and I'll run and get the info for you tomorrow. P.M. me your address and I think I'll have time to get it in the mail tomorrow too.

03-10-06, 01:27 AM	#13
K-Driz BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Murray or Smithfield, KY Posts: 209	Don't get grass carp. They'll just muddy up the water. Also, when they are young, they'll eat the grass and aquatic insects in the grass, thereby eliminating the bluegill foodsource and grass that serves as cover for the gills. The worst part about grass carp is that when they get to a large enough size, they start to eat the smaller baitfish, which is bluegill and bass food. I've read that you need to allow the stocked bluegill two years of spawning so that they become established and then introduce your bass after that and to allow them one successful spawn before fishing your pond. Good luck with your pond.

03-10-06, 04:17 AM	#14
KenDammit BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Richmond, KY Posts: 691	Grass carp will never eat another fish, unless you mean fry..which will be rare. Adults are strictly herbivores that will eat the rare bug or something similiar floating on the surface. I have also never seen them muddy water because they are not scavenger fish. About the ONLY problems I've seen or heard of with grass carp are overstocking and eliminating all aquatic plantlife. Its possible that water can become turbid from lack of plant life filtering the water, but its not very likely with proper stocking. I wouldn't stock grass carp right off the bat, choosing to wait for a period to let preferred fish use the cover to grow. After that, if I determined I had a vegetation problem, I'd then use grass carp stocked VERY moderately.

03-10-06, 10:03 AM	#15
CreekGeek22 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Crawfordsville,IN Posts: 103	I've seen a couple of articles in Bassmaster that showed fabricated structure for ponds/lakes. With the first one, you take a cinder block and lay it on its side. Then insert 20-30 pieces of various lengths of rubber/flexible tubing. In the magazine picture it was black tubing, not sure exactly what it was. Then secure the tubing in the cinder block by filling it with concrete. When your done, it should look like the top of a palm tree. The flexing tubes allow fish to hide and swim around in it. The second piece was done by some college students. They took corrugated drain pipe and fixed it together to create a sphere, anywhere from 4' - 6' tall. They tied bricks/blocks to the bottom of it to anchor it down. They called them "Fish Condos" if my memory serves correct. I've also seen ponds under construction where people have just stacked bricks/blocks in pillars at various heights. And don't forget to draw out a map of where you put all these different things!

03-10-06, 11:55 AM	#16
everettvet BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Paducah, KY Posts: 730	Ponds can be a great place to fish if they are managed correctly. 25 feet deep seems a little deep to me. My dad built one just west of Paducah in July of 2001 and stocked it in October of that year. It is 1.25 acres and the deepest point is 11 feet. It is stocked with Bass, bluegill and catfish. What great timing! Dad just called and I asked him how he knew how many fish to put in the pond. Dad said that you can contact the state fish and wildlife department for advice or there is a book that a lot of the local farm stores have that is produced by the state. Contacting the state does not mean that they will stock it. Dad had a private vendor stock the pond. Send me a private message if you want more info or would like to see the pond. I am really proud of it. Last summer I caught a 4 pound 8 ounce bass out of it! The blue gill are 8-9 inches in length and the catfish are huge! By the way, he did stock a few grass carp when the pond was 2-3 years old. He puts fertlizer in the pond and takes great care of it. I have fished it once this year. March 1 I caught 3 bass. Two of the fish was in the 2 pound class and the third was 1.25 pounds. Not huge fish, but they were all caught within 10 casts. That 5-10 minutes was a blast! I hope this weather will settle out and I can make the repairs to my roof and siding from last nights storm and go fishing! Contact me if I can be of help.

03-10-06, 12:04 PM	#17
everettvet BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Paducah, KY Posts: 730	I just thought of a good fish attractor. Do you know anyone who raised tobacco in the past? If so they may have a lot of old tobacco sticks. I don't think there would be any problems with using old tobacco sticks. Place them in a little concrete and the fish will be there. We used old fence boards and ripped them down to size and drove them with a sledge hammer into the floor of the pond. The boards were a great idea and the sledge hammer was not. You could get boxes from a store for a concrete form and place the sticks in the concrete as it gets dry. Just an idea.

03-10-06, 12:33 PM	#18
everettvet BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Paducah, KY Posts: 730	By the way, NEVER introduce fish from another lake/pond into your pond. It can throw off the balance (numbers) of the fish in a pond and most importantly, it can introduce disease to your pond that may not be there. It is not a smart move to introduce problems into a new fishery. Dig the pond, stock it, manage it well and dream about the fish you will catch for a year or two and then have some fun!! I will stop tying up this thread now...Until I have another idea.

03-10-06, 12:57 PM	#19
Christopherkeene9 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Oviedo, Fla Posts: 2,270	Those black pipes sticking out of the cinder was probably PVC flex pipe. It's expensive even at landscapers prices. Depending on the size. I know off the top of my head that 1" is 1.10 a foot landscapers price. Chris

03-10-06, 02:48 PM	#20
bass kicker BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Beamsville,ONTARIO,CANADA Posts: 2,023	that could be an awsome pond to fish once its down __________________ Rob Downs St. Catharines BASSMASTERS

03-10-06, 06:08 PM	#21
everettvet BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Paducah, KY Posts: 730	Kicker, I agree this pond will have the potential to be a lunker pond in a few years. Brobrian, Please keep us up to date on the progress of the pond! Pics of it once the digging is done would be great!

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