# Pond questions



## CT766 (Mar 4, 2016)

I have about 55 acres that I plan to move onto in about 5 1/2 years. I'm trying to get it ready now so the move will be smoother. One of the first things I've done is had a pond put in. The guy doing it says it's about 3/4 of an acre. He's done 100's of them. I'm starting from zero. I know nothing about ponds or fishing. I'm hoping someone can reassure me that he's done it right and help me select how to stock it.

He cleared some land that was already pretty much a bowl shape. He packed it down with a big packer machine. The land is in Georgia, so more clay than sand. It's also in the mountains, so lots of rocks. He moved the big rocks to the middle for fish and swimming. The little rocks were moved to the side. One side is a dirt road, he's using it as a dam. It looks awesome!!! It has a year round spring (we think it's year round) that's just about exactly in the middle and a stream that's mostly dry in the summer that also feeds it.

So questions - is it alright to have the spring in the middle of the pond? It won't compromise the bottom? The pond was only a few feet from filling within about 3 weeks of construction after a couple of decent storms. I think it'll be about 15 feet total when full. Within a week, it's gone down at least 8 feet or so. Is it normal to nearly fill and then drain so quickly when first established?

What do I stock it with if I want a good food supply in 5 years? Until then, I imagine my neighbors and my son's Scout Troop will be fishing. I had a company that specializes in stocking the pond give me a quote and some numbers. They said they need to do a water test and possibly add a LOT of lime. Then they want to stock it and have me add a fish feeder for the feeder fish. They promise a self-sufficient pond within a year (my time line is 5 1/2 years). My problem is that I don't want a fish feeder and I'm afraid if I add the bass that they suggest, and don't fish it regularly for 5 years, I'll just have to start over again. Are there any simple things you guys have done to stock a pond or anything I should avoid like the plague?

Thanks!


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

If you have a Hose with Water coming out, it would be hard for Water to go back in, however, your Pond/Spring is not a Hose, but most likely coming from a series of Cracks and Caves. The Water from the Spring flows into the Pond from one opening, and flows out through another. If the opening allowing the Water to escape isn't to large, it could seal itself in time with the natural settling of the sediment, other wise you will have to drain the Pond and re-pack the bottom with a thick layer of Clay. As far as Fish, Bass and Crappie are a good bet, along with a few Carp to keep the Algae and Pond Weeds at bay, and many People like to add Catfish as well. Since you do not want to add a feeder you might want to add some Prey Fish for the Bass and Crappie, such as Bluegill and Minnows. In time you will have a community of Frogs and Water Insects that will also add to the Fish diet.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

CT766 said:


> and a stream that's mostly dry in the summer that also feeds it.


If it's mostly dry in the summer, when it does get water flowing, it may bring a lot of silt with it. Basically, you're dumping muddy water into your pond. It may be too late now but I would have considered/suggesting adding a silt pond up-stream.


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## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

My neighbor and his dad next door both have ponds. Maybe an acre or so total. The lower one has a small spring and never fills unless we have heavy rains, then stays full for a week or two, then goes back to normal. 
The upper one has two springs, one much larger than the other. It never goes below maybe 3/4 full. When rains fill it, it will last a month or so. Both ponds have large pipes to cap the max height and protect the dam.
The ponds were stocked with bass, bluegill, and a few catfish. Bass were gone within 5 to 8 years. Bluegill are getting thin after 10 to 12 years. Catfish are there but not in large numbers. It was only stocked once and was fed for two years. Predation by herons and gesse have played a role.


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## oldasrocks (Jun 30, 2012)

The spring may be good or bad. For example if it has 10 lbs pressure outflowing and the pond fills to create a backpressure of 15 lbs it will reverse flow back down the spring hole.

Start minnows and bluegill a year ahead of bass. Bluegill will overpopulate a pond if they have too many places to hide and breed. They are needed to feed the bass though. Carp ONLY if they are sterilized grass carp. Regular carp is a fast way to ruin a pond. Catfish are a plus if you are looking to raise food. We had to add Blue cats to control the bluegill overpopulation. BTW crappie will over populate a pond fast too. I made that mistake.

If you are looking for food production I'd go with catfish. They will outgrow bass. We just hand feed a gallon of floating fish food a day to 100 catfish and let them forage from there. Our pond is 1/2 acre with depths of 3 to 25 ft. It had bass and bluegill in it when we bought the place 15 yrs ago. It was about 1/4 acre and I hired a track hoe to deepen it and enlarge so I didn't have to drain it. Wish I would have drained it and started over.


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