dbltree
Super Moderator
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The pond is done!! All except for the seeding, and lots of rain I guess. I'll try to get pics up soon.
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Still waiting for the pics...and the rain! I sure hope we start getting some soon!
Another idea for fish cover is to tie cedar or Christmas trees to some bricks or old cement blocks and set them on the ice this winter... or drop em off the side of a boat. Makes great habitat for small fry as well as a great place to lose a lure!
Here's one of my ponds:
The pond is done!! All except for the seeding, and lots of rain I guess. I'll try to get pics up soon.
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Still waiting for the pics...and the rain! I sure hope we start getting some soon!
Another idea for fish cover is to tie cedar or Christmas trees to some bricks or old cement blocks and set them on the ice this winter... or drop em off the side of a boat. Makes great habitat for small fry as well as a great place to lose a lure!
Here's one of my ponds:
dbltree
Super Moderator
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I'll do a rain dance for you tonight! </div></div>
Were gonna hold ya to that Ghost! We need it and we need it bad!
Skully that is going to a beautiful pond! Dang it's gonna be deep too! Bet you can't wait to put those first fish in there!
My son and our Golden Ret. spend half the summer in ours I think...have to pen the dog up to go fishing...silly thing /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Were gonna hold ya to that Ghost! We need it and we need it bad!
Skully that is going to a beautiful pond! Dang it's gonna be deep too! Bet you can't wait to put those first fish in there!
My son and our Golden Ret. spend half the summer in ours I think...have to pen the dog up to go fishing...silly thing /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
Daver
PMA Member
Skully - just curious, why did you knock the trees down that were in the creek bottom? Wouldn't it be better to leave them for cover? Or was it necessary to remove them so your pond would hold water?
Either way, nice pond and I am envious, it looks like a great place to have many great times in the future.
Either way, nice pond and I am envious, it looks like a great place to have many great times in the future.
Skully
PMA Member
Thanks for the comments guys, we are really excited for it to start filling up. I need to get the posts set for a dock and add some "structure". My boss has some old concrete culvert tubes he said I could have and I am thinking of building some other things to add cover for the fish. We didn't leave any trees in the pond for the fact that we will have small kids fishig and "SNAGS" would be a factor. It will also be used alot for swimming and I was told that leaving too many trees could cause the water to become more dirty and floating pieces can clog an overflow. I love the looks and potential for big fish in a flooded timber though. I'll try to keep posting pics as she fills up,"if it ever does"!
We were blessed with a natural spring but its not flowing alot right now. I guess I'll just have to be patient!
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
I've got switch grass around one of my ponds. Though it isn't real conducive to fishing, the deer like to bed in it. I'd say put some on the west side of your pond maybe. You might like to have a switch grass travel route to the pond from some cover/timber if you can do that?
I've got switch grass around one of my ponds. Though it isn't real conducive to fishing, the deer like to bed in it. I'd say put some on the west side of your pond maybe. You might like to have a switch grass travel route to the pond from some cover/timber if you can do that?
dbltree
Super Moderator
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
Switchgrass would be awesome cover but I think I would get some wheat or rye with clover or birdsfoot trefoil planted on the steep areas or gully areas. If it ever does rain...that stuff is going to start washing
I saw a field along 218 this spring where they used some kind of "mats" in some new waterways to hold the soil until the seed germinated.
I always look at what they are doing on the new highways. Along 34 they have used rye as the intial planting to hold the soil. The areas that were done ealier are now in various mixes of clover, trefoil and crown vetch as well as brome and timothy. Some places after sod has been established so that a root system will hold the soil, they go back and kill it and no-till in prarie grass.
A friend got some "waterway" mix this spring that had rye in the mix already...you might ask your seed supply dealer about something like that.
Various waterway mixes:
http://www.welterseed.com/productItems.aspx?id=13&org=0
Switchgrass would be awesome cover but I think I would get some wheat or rye with clover or birdsfoot trefoil planted on the steep areas or gully areas. If it ever does rain...that stuff is going to start washing
I saw a field along 218 this spring where they used some kind of "mats" in some new waterways to hold the soil until the seed germinated.
I always look at what they are doing on the new highways. Along 34 they have used rye as the intial planting to hold the soil. The areas that were done ealier are now in various mixes of clover, trefoil and crown vetch as well as brome and timothy. Some places after sod has been established so that a root system will hold the soil, they go back and kill it and no-till in prarie grass.
A friend got some "waterway" mix this spring that had rye in the mix already...you might ask your seed supply dealer about something like that.
Various waterway mixes:
http://www.welterseed.com/productItems.aspx?id=13&org=0
CornDude
Member
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
Skully, those are nice pictures. It will be filled with water before you know it. If you're concerned about your shoreline eroding... when our pond was built we planted reed canary grass along the shoreline. Canary grass grows well in shallow water. The pond is over 20 years old and we haven't had any concerns of silting. Just a thought for you. Congrats on the great place.
Skully, those are nice pictures. It will be filled with water before you know it. If you're concerned about your shoreline eroding... when our pond was built we planted reed canary grass along the shoreline. Canary grass grows well in shallow water. The pond is over 20 years old and we haven't had any concerns of silting. Just a thought for you. Congrats on the great place.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
Canary grass will only grow in moist areas that are prone to frequent flooding. It might grow along the banks or shallow areas, but it won't grow on the sides or out into your pond.
In your case I don't think it would do well on most of the area you have to plant. It likes "wet feet"
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/outreach/VMG/rcanarygr.html
Canary grass will only grow in moist areas that are prone to frequent flooding. It might grow along the banks or shallow areas, but it won't grow on the sides or out into your pond.
In your case I don't think it would do well on most of the area you have to plant. It likes "wet feet"
http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/chf/outreach/VMG/rcanarygr.html
Fishbonker
Life Member
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
I went to a "field day" last year with the DNR, ISU and PF. They had planted several plots for prarie grass/pheasant and quail cover. The Reeds Canary grass took it all over so I came away from that session thinking it was a very bad grass to have around. Then to discover I actually planted some a few years ago that came in an "erosion control" mix along with crown vetch. The canary grass is out competeing the crown vetch and it isn't in a particulary wet spot. I suppose the crown vetch is keeping the soil moist and cold so the grass greminates before the crown vetch. I've thought about trying to kill the canary grass but my wife likes the way it looks. Might have to have an "accidental" chemical spill.
The 'Bonker
I went to a "field day" last year with the DNR, ISU and PF. They had planted several plots for prarie grass/pheasant and quail cover. The Reeds Canary grass took it all over so I came away from that session thinking it was a very bad grass to have around. Then to discover I actually planted some a few years ago that came in an "erosion control" mix along with crown vetch. The canary grass is out competeing the crown vetch and it isn't in a particulary wet spot. I suppose the crown vetch is keeping the soil moist and cold so the grass greminates before the crown vetch. I've thought about trying to kill the canary grass but my wife likes the way it looks. Might have to have an "accidental" chemical spill.
The 'Bonker
dbltree
Super Moderator
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
I'm not a big fan of canary grass myself, it is an invasive as well as crown vetch. Having said that, if one has a choice between watching your soil end up in the Mississippi River and keeping it where it belongs...welllll.
I have planted crown vetch crowns on some bare areas of my pond banks...these spots have been bare for maybe 20 years. Even in this drought the tiny crown vetch crowns are surviving and hopefully will cover the area someday.
Reeds canary grass IMO is to thick to provide good wildlife cover and seems to go flat in the winter (has yours Bonker?) Of course being a fan of prairie grasses, I prefer switchgrass which likes damp areas also, although it might not stand as much flooding as canary grass.
For a new pond though, one needs to get something growing on those steep bank areas...one of these days we might just get a down pour and that hard dry ground is going to end up in the bottom of the pond. Rye or wheat with some straw would be a good start!
My pond doesn't have any cattails but I think they would be good habitat for the pond edge. They can't spread beyond the waters edge and if the pond is deep...they can't take over the pond itself.
I'm not a big fan of canary grass myself, it is an invasive as well as crown vetch. Having said that, if one has a choice between watching your soil end up in the Mississippi River and keeping it where it belongs...welllll.
I have planted crown vetch crowns on some bare areas of my pond banks...these spots have been bare for maybe 20 years. Even in this drought the tiny crown vetch crowns are surviving and hopefully will cover the area someday.
Reeds canary grass IMO is to thick to provide good wildlife cover and seems to go flat in the winter (has yours Bonker?) Of course being a fan of prairie grasses, I prefer switchgrass which likes damp areas also, although it might not stand as much flooding as canary grass.
For a new pond though, one needs to get something growing on those steep bank areas...one of these days we might just get a down pour and that hard dry ground is going to end up in the bottom of the pond. Rye or wheat with some straw would be a good start!
My pond doesn't have any cattails but I think they would be good habitat for the pond edge. They can't spread beyond the waters edge and if the pond is deep...they can't take over the pond itself.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
Skully...now that we have your pond banks seeded down for ya
What are you going to stock your pond with (I know...fish...da!) Bass, gills and cats? You gonna bring some from a friends pond, thru the DNR or a commercial outlet?
I've thought about adding some feeder minnows to "fatten" up my bass but I never seem to get around to it. My pond has two different kinds of cats in it and after seeing those monster flatheads I guess I should see just how big they are!
I just always seem to have more fun playing catch and release with the bass!
Fished in one pond with some hybrid bluegills...man those things get huge!!
Skully...now that we have your pond banks seeded down for ya
I've thought about adding some feeder minnows to "fatten" up my bass but I never seem to get around to it. My pond has two different kinds of cats in it and after seeing those monster flatheads I guess I should see just how big they are!
I just always seem to have more fun playing catch and release with the bass!
Fished in one pond with some hybrid bluegills...man those things get huge!!
Fishbonker
Life Member
Re: Building a pond, need some advice. PICS ADDED!
The canary grass I planted goes pretty flat in the winter, but it is in a drift area.
The 'Bonker
The canary grass I planted goes pretty flat in the winter, but it is in a drift area.
The 'Bonker