New Project

[Kdog]

Good deal on getting the baitfish in there. Not sure how fast the golden's grow, but know that can get upwards of 1'.

Talked to my uncle and he has copper nose and another hybrid bluegill in his pond that he got from a hatchery up there. I mentioned before that he rarely lets anyone keep them, but they fish for them now and then. So far the biggest one caught weighed 3.27.

 

[H20fwler]

Good deal on getting the baitfish in there. Not sure how fast the golden's grow, but know that can get upwards of 1'.

Talked to my uncle and he has copper nose and another hybrid bluegill in his pond that he got from a hatchery up there. I mentioned before that he rarely lets anyone keep them, but they fish for them now and then. So far the biggest one caught weighed 3.27.

Three pound hybrid is a pig! That is exactly what I would like to have, except we will be eating a lot of big ones.
Hopefully next spring water will be deep enough to add about 100 redear and 100 perch.
Then maybe next fall more redear, minnows, shiners,perch, and a small amount of LM, SM, Wiper bass, channel cats and maybe some small walleye.
It all depends on how the water comes up, not in any rush I’m OK with taking it slow. Want the forage fish very well established first and taking it easy adding the predator fish over a couple stockings and watching how it goes.

 

[Kdog]

Not sure how they would handle the cold temps, and not sure how you would get them there economically, but have you looked at GA giants?

 

[H20fwler]

Not sure how they would handle the cold temps, and not sure how you would get them there economically, but have you looked at GA giants?

Just read up on them!

 

[H20fwler]

A buddy did a little ditching and had some leftover 6” field tile so I cut it into 4’ sections and attached it to cider blocks with stainless wire.
Should give channel cats another place to hide and spawn.

 

[H20fwler]

The pond is slowly filling up, a lot of the structures are under water now.

 

[yoderjac]

lookin' good!

 

[H20fwler]

We have had a few more little rains and the water level is rising good. I would say the bottom of pond is covered now, my guess is deep end may be over 6’ .

I don’t like the erosion ruts but don’t really know what I could have done different with that being so steep, maybe I should have tried planting cheap grass or wheat on sides but doubtful it would have grown in straight clay and the stalks would have turned to mud anyway.

 

[Bill]

Those ruts will be canyons to a little fingerling trying to survive.

 

[H20fwler]

Those ruts will be canyons to a little fingerling trying to survive.

There is that, but I don’t like the soft mud on the bottom. Hopefully water pressure will pack it down some.

 

[yoderjac]

There is that, but I don’t like the soft mud on the bottom. Hopefully water pressure will pack it down some.

I continue to be impressed with the project. Just like a food plot nutrient cycling will eventually deal with the soil tilth.

 

[H20fwler]

I continue to be impressed with the project. Just like a food plot nutrient cycling will eventually deal with the soil tilth.

Thanks Jack.

 

[H20fwler]

I stopped out tonight to see if there were many doves around and a few nice bunches flew out of the sunflowers.
I also noticed ripples all over the surface of the water, figured it was some kind of bugs emerging. At closer inspection it was hundreds and hundreds of minnows rising along one whole side of pond.
Glad to see that they are thriving and possibly have bred.
Plan is early next spring to add more minnows and golden shiners, about a month after that will add redear sunfish and perch.
Then in fall maybe a small amount of large and smallmouth bass with some channel cats, walleye and a couple little pike.
Then do it all again with all of them the following spring and see how it goes.

 

[Kdog]

It's coming along nicely!

 

[H20fwler]

Planted thirty Black Hills Spruce for aesthetics /road/wind screen.
They are 4’-5’ tall and hopefully take off good in the next few years with a little TLC and fertilizer.
Plan is to ad about 10-15 more as we can in the next couple years to thicken it up a little more.
Going to cage them within next few days to keep some crazy buck from rubbing them.

 

[Gravel Road]

Those look great and should help with the wind, for sure! Now cut those beans

 

[H20fwler]

Those look great and should help with the wind, for sure! Now cut those beans

That’s my winter food plot……..nah.

Neighbors, don’t know what they have going on. They rent it out I would have cut them a month ago. They must not need the money or care about yield and mold.
Still great feed to have right next to our woods for now.

 

[Tree Spud]

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Planted thirty Black Hills Spruce for aesthetics /road/wind screen.
They are 4’-5’ tall and hopefully take off good in the next few years with a little TLC and fertilizer.
Plan is to ad about 10-15 more as we can in the next couple years to thicken it up a little more.
Going to cage them within next few days to keep some crazy buck from rubbing them.

Looks great H20, like the road screen idea.

What is your water source and when will the pond be full?

 

[Kdog]

Like the road screen! Is someone sitting under the dock, or is that all structure?

 

[H20fwler]

Looks great H20, like the road screen idea.

What is your water source and when will the pond be full?

Just rain, runoff from spoil pile and building lot. I think it’s close to almost half full now. With a wet winter-spring it might fill all the way up by summer.