Structure For 3 Acer Pond

[Joe Headley]

Just got through  building a new 3 acer pond what is good to use for the bluegill and bass structure ?

[carl hendrix]

walt foreman would be a great place to start with this question!!   walt has a few ponds he keeps for gill fishing;; and very knowledgeable

[Walt Foreman]

Thanks for the shout out, Carl, much appreciated!

[dick tabbert]

Joe I put boulders and trees when it was empty so I could get them exactly were I wanted them along with 2 stacked piles of cement blocks about 5' high all holes facing outward for smaller fish to hide.

[dick tabbert]

Working on a structure now that can be set in the pond for cover when finished I will display pictures might have to check on a patent for this one. Got most of my materials for the 1st build should be building the 1st one here shortly..

[Walt Foreman]

It depends on which fish, bluegill or bass, is more important to you, Joe.  If big bluegill are the top priority, don't add any cover (structure is bottom configuration, and cover is fish attractors, man-made or otherwise - lots of people get the terms mixed up these days) at all.  For big bass, the more cover, the better; but if big bluegill are your goal, lots of cover will hinder you from reaching that goal because the cover's primary purpose is to provide hiding places for small fish, in this case bluegill.  More cover means more bluegill escape predation, which translates to overpopulation, not enough food to go around for the bluegill, and slow or nonexistent growth.  The world-record bluegill came from a small private lake just outside Birmingham that had no appreciable cover.  

You're not far from me, Joe, and I make it down that way pretty regularly to get fish from a hatchery in Montgomery - I was just down there last Friday making a fish run.  Have you stocked the pond yet?  I'd be happy to help.  I'll send you a friend request - feel free to send me a PM if you like.

[Donald Schmotzer]

   Water !

  Just kidding, when you cleared the pond area, I hope you left a few stumps, set in a couple brush piles and rocks work very well. Oh course I have never managed a pond before so if anyone has please chime in. ..........Don in SC

[Tony Livingston]

It absolutely depends on your goals, but I am just not a big fan of structure. I've never sunk a brushpile or a christmas tree in any of my ponds, but I did add some porpupine fish attractors to the HBG pond, to concentrate the bluegills for ice fishing. It's made of PVC, and hooks won't stick in it.

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

LAST BUT NOT LEAST YOU'LL NEED AT LEAST A FEW OLD GEEZERS sitting in lawn chairs along the shore napping of course........

[dick tabbert]

and on a supper hot day a beer wouldn't hurt.