Developing Fishing Ponds

For most of us the development techniques associated with fishing ponds are not something that we spend a lot of time thinking about. However, for many farmers or landowners that wish to use any ponds on their land for fishing purposes, pond development is of major importance.

Smaller fishing ponds are actually harder to develop as obviously they do not have the size of natural lakes. This means they do not have the feeder system that most of the larger man made reservoirs also need to maintain the standard of the water.

For the small fishing ponds to be a success, and not to end up as dead lifeless puddles, three issues need to be considered: the quality of the water, the plants and cover, and of course the fish population. All these three things are actually interdependent but the first place to start is deciding on what type of fish you will want to have available for catching in the fishing ponds being developed.

Fish Population

In North America the fish most popular with fishermen is the Bass. There are lots of different types of Bass. Some are more likely to reach a larger size, some that grow more quickly than others, some of them are more resilient and so on. When developing fishing ponds with a fish targeted such as one of the Bass species, the entire food chain must be considered.

Ponds will of course, develop naturally as pond dwelling animals and birds transfer spawn and the like on their feet from other ponds. It is amazing how nature has a way of "sorting it out." The problem is though that nature is never in a rush and it takes years, maybe decades for natural development to occur. Because of this, new fishing ponds are artificially stocked with bluegill and other small feed for the Bass or other target fish. This food chain needs to be well established before introducing your target fish.

Water Quality, Plants and Cover

Different fish need different types of plant cover and in fact, rely on it as it causes temperature variations throughout fishing ponds and also helps with providing oxygen into the water. Plant life must be strictly monitored though as it can easily take over and suffocate the fish. Plants such as Hydrilla have ruined fishing ponds in the past. Hydrilla has caused so much damage it is now considered pond weed but there are similar aquatic plants that, if left alone and unchecked, will run havoc, especially in a new not yet settled eco system.

Another major consideration in fishing ponds is the water acidity or alkalinity. As fishing ponds are naturally lined, all sorts of chemicals and minerals from the surrounding soils and stones find their way into the water. In certain areas fish farms line their ponds like a swimming pool just to prevent this effect from being a problem.

The water in fishing ponds needs to be frequently monitored as you prepare the pond ready for fishing. Once the pond has developed, with a little encouragement from you, into a stable eco system, the three main issues discussed above should still be monitored carefully with regular checks.