2.5 Acre Pond Gone!!! Ideas, tale, and restoral thread

[Stressless]

Working on the "rejuvenation" plan for crescent pond. Over on PondBoss Dr. Bill Cody gave some really great advice - He lives in OH but spreads his wisdom across the USA on ponds from that forum. For a pond newbie like me it's getting expert advise for just sharing the story - adding it here as a ref for anyone here that may be looking at the same fishery/management - and/or a ref for a great down and in forum on pond creation/management.

I've been thinking of building a Smallmouth bass/ yellow perch / walleye fishery since this pond drained.... the quote below is from a different thread over 'there' I added it as it was specifying the stocking rate and species. My Questions are below it and Bills answers to my questions.

SMB - Smallmouth bass
YP - Yellow Perch
WY - Walleye
GSF - Green Sunfish
GSH - Golden Shiners
FHM - Fathead minnows (not fathead catfish)
LMB - largemouth bass
BG - standard Bluegill
TP - Tilapia

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Quote
If it were my pond I would start with YP-SMB. Use only pellet trained 4"-6" and some maybe 20-30% 6"-8" stocker YP. This creates big eating size YP the first fall and pellet eaters will allow the FHM to produce high numbers. NY DNR suggests you use GSF and they as adults can produce long term broodstock. I helped a local pondowner in 1989 stock their new pond with RES, YP(pellet fed), SMB, FHM and GSH NOTE not GSF. If you are in the same latitude as northern Ohio where RES persist, then RES would be an option to try. Today after 32 years all fish in this 1989 pond are doing well except the FHM. Some of the SMB are 19". The SMB can be added after the first YP spawn as fingerlings or as a last option catch and relocate 4-8 9"+ SMB. Surely at least one pair will be in the 4-8 fish mix and the offspring will provide a good M-F mix of recruits. In some areas and during poor SMB hatch years,,, fingerling SMB are not available. If after a few years you dislike performance of the YP-SMB fishery, you can easily change it by stocking other species including your CC. Note if you later add LMB you will significantly hamper CC, SMB, and YP recruitment. I have proven that with numerous pond fish surveys that were published. In northern areas the YP-SMB combo is a good starter fishery that can easily be changed just by adding the other desired fish. This is definitely not true with BG-LMB. New generations of each always persist which has pros and cons. No matter what you stock the CC will persist for a relatively long time maybe 14-20 years before the original stockers die of old age.

Stressless:

I LOVE to eat YP and WE. I LOVE to catch SMB.

Bill (all) - For my "renovated" and fish free 2.5 acre pond In UpperMid- OH, 1075' elevation (2.5 acre pond gone...) I'm looking to start with the YP-SMB-WE, I've shied away from a a pellet thrower as I'm not at the property much of time and looking to stock forage- not the most cost efficient method but one I can implement within the times I'm at the property.

I have LOTS of cover and structure in the pond, I was thinking of starting w FHM and GSH with TP when the predator species get large enough to consume those. I plan water chemical testing in Feb (60 days) and amend if necessary in Mar. I saw you suggest GSF as an additional species - I have zero experience with them except as a stunted pond edge fish in a LMB-BG pond.

Q1) Is the Depth 11-12' sufficient for WE?

Q2) With vertebrate barren 2.25 acre 11' deep pond with lots of cover and structure what stocking rate and which species should I stock in order?
- I've read stock the forage the 1st spring and predators 'later' but asking for advice w zero predators or prey in the water with this lineup.

Q3) Should I add any other forage species since I do not plan to toss pellets.

Thanks in advance - my local hatchery (Fenders) has all the species above - it's just about dialing it in with the vast knowledge on this forum.
Last edited by Bill Cody; Yesterday at 08:26 PM.

 

[Stressless]

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Dr. Bill Cody:

Stressless -- my statement of NY using GSF was an old person typing error. GSF should read GSH as in golden shiner which to many here will make much more sense to use with SMB,YP, WE. I will go back to my original post and fix my typing error mistake.

As for your questions; Q1) Is the Depth 11-12' sufficient for WE? I think 11-12 depth is enough for walleye. They actually tolerate warm water better that big old YP. Your main problem will be dependably locating WE for supplement stocking. If you want various sizes in the fishery then you will need to periodically stock more WE especially true if you are occasionally harvesting WE. Small 10"-14" WE will help thin numbers of mostly YP and somewhat the SMB. Fenders only occasionally have WE and later supplemental stockers should be 8"-11" for best chance of survival. Initial stockers can be 5"-7" and using this size for restock is a gamble and risky for their survival. 15-20/ac WE would be a good starter number. Fewer or more can be stocked later depending on their success and your need for predation/

I would start with 40-50 SMB per ac or fewer /ac so they have plenty of food, grow fast and do not eat too many of the breeder minnows/GSH. Watch SMB first and subsequent spawn success as they could damage or eliminate the FHM brooder fish base. SMB can occasionally although they rarely overpopulate similar to LMB. Remember each smallie will eat around 10 lbs of minnow type foods to grow to 12" about 1 lb. 50 SMB are eating 500 lbs of mostly minnows as food in about the first 12-16 months. See now why you need lots & lots of minnows before the predators are stocked???

Q2 - Part 1 - a vertebrate barren 2.25 acre 11' deep pond with lots of cover and structure,,,, what stocking rate and which species should I stock in order? A complex answer applies to this question. Since you are not feeding pellets stocking density will be lower numbers per acre assuming you want good growth rates. Lots of foods, usually diverse foods, are needed for good fish growth. Lusk says "Every Day A Fish Does Not Eat Is A Day It Does Not Grow". Fish need lots of food for best growth and when it is not there growth slows down accordingly. Your job as manager will be to always keep visible small forage fish present which indicates predators are not overeating the forage base. FHM, GSH and YP could provide adequate foods with the proper habitat for well managed SMB numbers and a few put and take WE. The general rule is that natural productivity clearish water ponds raise about 3 to 4 times fewer total fish pounds per acre compared to pellet fed fish ponds.
Part 2, The best plan or method to start the fishery is with abundant forage and allow GSH time to develop large adult sizes before the predators are added. The 2nd summer with adult minnows as forage will produce lots of minnows for the incoming fall added predators. Fenders usually has fingerling SMB in the fall but very, very rarely in spring due to being sold out. So if you miss the fall stocking of SMB then you will probably have to wait until 2nd fall stocking which is when I would add the WE and not the first fall. Unless you reduce the initial number of SMB and equally substitute several WE per acre the first fall.

Q3) Should I add any other forage species since I do not plan to toss pellets. Diversifying the forage is a VERY good idea. If you allow one summer for minnow/GSH to reproduce then the pond will develop a huge invertebrate community to help feed fingerling stocker fish when stocked later. Fender will disagree with this, but think about it. Fish farms want to sell fish so they heavily push full initial stockings. Allowing one full spring-summer season for minnows to reproduce will astonish you as to how many small fishes will present by October. You could initially also stock RES, and crayfish; both in the spring. RES will help reduce the chance of fish parasites transmitted from the snail as vector. I've seen Fender's RES and papershell crayfish and those sold that I've seen are sometimes not pure species. I even saw at least one instance where their LMB contaminated SMB purchased only as smallies.

Most fish farms buy most all their fish for sale, not Fender. I have known them and bought lots of fish from them since 1988. Fender 'self' farms a lot of water (200+ac) and the self farmed fish crop for sale can get the occasional mistakenly added fish mixed in with the batch one buys. This is why I like to buy larger individuals and fewer individuals so I can always sort out the 'mistake' fish. The smaller the stockers are the more likely the mistake fish will be introduced into what you buy because it is pretty difficult even for farm helpers and even the experts to recognize a 2" RES from HBG, BG or other type of hybrid sunfish. Fish farms get numerous types of hybrid sunfish when they raise them their self. Buyer beware. This is not usually a problem when LMB are used as bigmouth predator, but without LMB the chances of the mistake fishes growing and reproducing becomes significantly more likely. I've seen green sunfish offspring ruin minnow and YP based fisheries. A few LMB will eventually ruin a smallmouth fishery. RES purchases of small individuals can have the occasional BG and or HBG mixed in the RES.

I best prefer stocking only papershell crayfish that always stay in the pond and do not climb out and make mud chimneys as do other common crayfish species. Papershell crays stay a little smaller than other species, are a little less aggressive, and perform VERY well as forage for perch, smallies and WE. Abundant rocky habitat allows them to thrive. Fender papershell crayfish years ago had rusty crayfish in the mix. I had to and always hand sorted them. Rusty's are considered aggressive and can crowd out papershell over time. There might even be red swamp crays or northern crays at many fish farms now. Steve F is pretty opinionated about fish stocking and be prepared to deal with this. Remember Steve and ALL Fish Farms are in the business to sell fish and not necessarily being real concerned and willing to closely follow your long term goals for the pond fishery. I am selling you nothing. I have even stocked special minnows, mayfly larvae and other aquatic invertebrates into ponds to enhance the forage base.

Minnow / GSH If you have good ample spawning structure for FHM, stock in late Apr or early May 8-10 lbs FHM per ac and 4-5 lbs GSH per acre. GSH really need shallow shoreline algae, weedy areas, or shag rug type material along the shoreline for egg laying. The other option is to buy a box GSH fry from Arkansas. Although if you provide spawning structure for some mature GSH of several pounds,,, they will produce thousands of fry the first year providing you stock them as mature and prespawn. Sometimes you can order adult GSH from local bait shops that would get them shipped in with their FHM. RES 4"-6" can be added with FHM and if some are 5"-6",, RES should spawn in early - mid June. 40 to 50 RES per ac prespawn would give you a very good big 1st year crop of RES.

Be aware you IMO you will need to maintain a dedicated slot size harvest of fish since you will not feed pellets. You should annually monitor the spawn survival success, (aka recruitment) so one specie does not overpopulate. This would most likely eventually be the YP or SMB. Good survival of SMB or YP fingerlings could over eat the minnow forage base and slow the growth of the WE. due to lack of food. RES will very rarely overpopulate with SMB and WE present.

Last edited by Bill Cody; 2 hours ago. Reason: Numerous enhancements

 

[Stressless]

Blown away Bill - Thank you for the time and thorough / thoughtful answer. I'm gonna make some cliff notes and keep this updated as the situation warrents/ stocking decisions rates harvet etc.

Def adding the +plus sized RES to the lineup.

Q4) Crayfish - There is about 1500 sq meters of undisturbed bottom much of that I'm positive held over amphibians and invertebrates (saw and heard them in Aug after the excavation was done) - if papershell crayfish can get out competed is there a better crayfish species as I don't mind the mud-tunnels where this pond is located.


Q5) TP - I'll bump this into it's own question as in my thinking (which is often wrong in this area) in year two (and annually after) to increase the overall forage base, late May to mid Sep here in OH, I would stock TP ~15#/ SA to add a forage that will offload the needed consumption rate from the RSH, FHM and GSH 'base' and be self limiting.

I'm not expecting the annual TP stocking to 'completely' replace the pellets or to minimize the needed slot length. I would like your opinion/changes on the TP stocking as an additional forage in this plan?

Last edited by Stressless; 2 seconds ago.

 

[Stressless]

I don't pellet feed, i.e., I plan to build or restock vetibrate and invertebrate forage as necessary but within limit$!

So, in that other forum I found a great reference source on finding locations to trap or 'collect' forage fish and their eggs. Finding the species or fish where it was scientifically observed definitely shortens the search whether for bait for a fishing trip or like me to build a forage population for predators.



So let's say your pond is in Greenville, Ohio 45331 is the important bit.

Go here and plug (your) zipcode into the Watershed: http://fishmap.org/watershed.html
- note some zipcodes have multiple watersheds so all you do is click on a watershed until the you have the one where your pond is located.

From there you find your watershed by clicking one after the other until your map comes up that includes your ponds location.

Once you have that up, you can look below it and if every species of finfish observed is listed by common name. Simply scroll down to the species you're interested in and click it.

Click that species.... it brings up all observations and breaks that into native, historic and introduced.

Zoom into your watershed and the locations where it's been documented by whom and when shows up.

Select a location and zoom in.... It shows, usually a common access area to possibly put a trap or egg collection up. The intersection of Holler Rd. and West Branch Greenville Creek

You can bet I'll be doing this as I found public access to a stream fairly close that has populations ofa couple species that I want to supplement stocking crescent pond with.

 

[Stressless]

Quite a bit of difference....

By the PVC depth guage I pit in, about 1/2 full by volume.

 

[Buckmaster]

Restock with Golden Shinners and fat head minnows and some wooden pallets and wait 3 years before intro of game fish. You and I both like shrimp cocktail.

 

[Stressless]

Visited my boy at his new farm in TN w the Mrs over xmas. Then up to OH to visit mom directly afterwards and planned to stay a couple days. That turned into a 10 w a longish story that doesn't go here.


Anyway - I got after some chores and one was to reduce the height of the snaggs in Crescent Pond. I need the structure but doebt need to have 50# braid to bring in a bluegill.

It also gives a perspective of the size of the pond...

 

[Stressless]

So far so good on the pond refilling... as I haven't started any stocking (yet) looking for opinions on this plan.

Remeasuring Crescent Pond in Google Earth the SA of the pond comes out to 2 acres. so that's the measurement I'll use for stocking. I do listen and I may try pellet feeding in this pond - that's a completely new thing fo me and I'll get around to figuring out the size/right feed etc in the next month or so ... I plan to still go heavy on the live forage and that's reflected below.

2022 - Year 1:

April

• FHM - 24#
• GSH minnow (3") 15#
• GSH Brood stock 20 fish
• Crayfish 700
• 70 RES 4"-6"
• 30 RES 6"-8"
• 150 YP 4"-6" (pellet trained)
• 30 YP 6"-8" (pellet trained)

Late Spring thru Summer - Supplemental stocking of SFS, BNM etc as I can catch them from the local creeks.

October

• 60 SMB 4"-6"
• 20 SMB 8"-10"

2023 - Year - 2:

April

• FHM - 24#
• GSH minnow (3") 15#
• GSH Brood stock 10 fish
• Crayfish 700
• 150 YP 4"-6" (pellet trained)

November

• 25 WE 8"-11"

2024 - Year - 3:
Will be based on catch and observations. Ladder stocking SMB and WE on alternate years if no SMB YoY observed.

 

[Sgt Fury]

Hybrid striped bass would be a good addition also. They grow fast..only down side is that you’ll have to restock what you take out as they don’t reproduce.

 

[Stressless]

getting there inch by inch... you can really see the old pond high water level on the far bank. new pond high water via the new overflow will be about 1' below the old high water mark.

 

[Jackalope]

looking good buddy

 

[Big_Holla]

Slow N Steady fills the pond! Looking GREAT!

 

[Stressless]

@Big_Holla -

So the amount of rain water to replenish that pond is based off the surface area that drains into it(531,000sqft)/a permeability ratio, /1000(sq ft) X 620 (1' of rain in 1000sqft = 620 gallons of water or .62 gallons/sqft) in an impermeable surface...

The figures for the touched-up i.e., completed LP are avg 11' deep, 65' wide, 1100' long = 5,875,155.00 us gallons.

With no "permeability" 1" of rain in the LP watershed would produce 531,000 x .62 = 329,220 gallons. or ~ 5.6% of the LP volume.

TOO gets on avg 40" of rain a year so 40" x 5.6% = 224% of LP volume with no loss/ permeability so it'll take, most likely ~ 1 -> 1.5 years to fill LP to the overflow or 224% - 360% of LP water volume with loss and permeability.

The figures above are from last June - I touched up the volume based on the finished depth and overflow location.

It's filling up - doing really well. The overflow went in about 6" above the planned height. We're only 3 feet down from the lower portion of the overflow right now. So that's 8.5' of water filled in from Mid August. The last 3 feet will take longer I think as the surface acre and surface acres cover a bigger area.

I got down there and got that PVC marked better to see it from the camera for the last 3'.

 

[Stressless]

At least 1' since the 13th - that's bare minimum to add this much water to the pond. 12 inches x 531,000SqFt or 12" x 329,220 gallons ( 3,950,640 gallons with no loss) of the surface acre plus the limited watershed for this pothole pond. I think the ice uplift pulled the measuring stake out with the rise yesterday.

 

[Stressless]

Got to the farm and checked up on Crescent Pond. Overall 90+% happy, Mose didn't follow my direction on how high I wanted the limit of the escarpment into the spoil bank and now he'll have to come and remediate a portion of it - but that's minor compared with the overall job he did at the front end. The dates on the pics are a couple days and near 2" of rain apart, the pic of the stake and overflow were from today. About 14-15" to the overflow.

Apparently I put the pvc better than I thought

the ice dint lift it out.

 

[Stressless]

As expected the pH test for the pond came back fairly hot 5.1 pH. After doing some research I should have taken soil samples Prior to it filling and amended it with AgLime at that point. - Makes perfect sense and I had thought about it but didn't get the knowledge until now of how and the studied findings on different lime formulations.

Anyway - 4 actual tons, at the neutralizing rate of 2T per surface acre after the "loss" http://fisheries.tamu.edu/files/2013/09/SRAC-Publication-No.-4100-Liming-Ponds-for-Aquaculture.pdf

If the liming requirement, neutralizing value (NV)
and neutralizing efficiency (NE) are known, it is possible
to calculate the precise amount of lime needed. Divide the
amount of liming material recommended (tons per acre)
by the product of the neutralizing value and the neutral-
izing efficiency (NV × NE).

Spring 19

Spring 21

Aug 21

Spring 22

 

[Jackalope]

Lo

As expected the pH test for the pond came back fairly hot 5.1 pH. After doing some research I should have taken soil samples Prior to it filling and amended it with AgLime at that point. - Makes perfect sense and I had thought about it but didn't get the knowledge until now of how and the studied findings on different lime formulations.

Anyway - 4 actual tons, at the neutralizing rate of 2T per surface acre after the "loss" http://fisheries.tamu.edu/files/2013/09/SRAC-Publication-No.-4100-Liming-Ponds-for-Aquaculture.pdf




Spring 19
View attachment 150433


Spring 21
View attachment 150432

Aug 21
View attachment 150434
View attachment 150435

Spring 22
View attachment 150431

Looking good buddy.

 

[Stressless]

The Plan:

Okay - so for soil tests on the spoil they have come back 4.7-5.0 at best, the water tested at 5.0 pH and I'm shooting for 7.0 pH. The COA's I took into consideration are the PITA issues to evenly spread crushed AgLime - cheapest by far but a huge labor (factor) to shovel it from container to something to get to the boat, shovel out/off and maybe get it on a plywood thing for a rowboat...

Next cheapest is Pelletized Lime - very easy to spread - plan to use both my and my neighbors quads with their 15gal Moultrie spreaders and

Next is a the powered lime Hydrated Lime which has a 1.27 to 1 pound used ENV and will dissolve/react overnight.

Plan:
Pond is 390 yards of shoreline on on side. We should be able to cover about 140 yrds edge to edge of the pond with the reach of the spreaders and then the rest of 250 yrds we'll get about 1/2 -1/3 covered with the spreaders.

Every 7 yards back the quad to pond edge and spread 2 bags or 80# of pelletized lime. 56 spreading points, that should burn 112 bags, leaving 70 to spread from the boat in areas that can't be reached from land.

We'll then take the hydrated lime (caustic) out on the boat and stop every 40 yards or so and mix 2 bags into the water.

As Built:

Got the Lime, Hydrated and Pelletized delivered the same day the trees were so the took priority. That done we got after the acidic puddle.

NOTE: in my wisdom, which is just accumulated experience, which is generally due to the result of bad decisions. All the hassel and effort could have been totally avoided IF I took soil samples of the pond bottom when the excavating was complete. Then hired out Lime Truck (one of those 4x4's that can carry up to 13T) They could have spread 2T of AgLime (or 2T/Acre NV / Acre in about 3 mins...

That is wisdom, this is experience, based on the bad decision on NOT treating the pond bottom like a food plot - I just didn't know.

The pelletized lime went great according to the plan, two quads, backing up and spreading 80# every 7 meters or so all along the Eastern edge. Took about 104 bags.

While the guys were doing this I got the respirator and a couple 5 gal buckets, 250# in 50# of hydrated lime in the old rowboat and started into my personal day of misery.

Hydrated lime dust may cause immediate or delayed irritation or inflammation. Eye contact with dry powder or with wet hydrated lime can cause moderate eye irritation, chemical burns and blindness. Eye exposures require immediate first aid and medical attention to prevent significant damage to the eye.

I got thru 125# maybe before I called that effort off and jumped into the pond, the extremely fine lime dust get/got everywhere. Once I was "lime free" I.e., not feeling like I was on fire in a couple places I got all MOPP'd up. Close to MOPP 3 if memory serves... anyway, I limped back with ~100# in the boat, got MOPP'd and ditched (pun) the idea of mixing in gal buckets. I spread it on the water and with very little breeze it gradually and kinda quickly disovled and sank.

It was 85▫ and in full sun... Damnitall. I had everything at the cabin / barn for chemicals so all I had to do was go get the proper PPE.

3 or so trips and and couple hours in MOPP and the hydrated lime was in. My son sent this to the family group text....

Next was the 2T or so of pelletied lime to be spread out past where the land based spread couldn't reach. So some spare lumber from the barn and some thinking... the prototype was ready.

Operational assessment of the prototype stopped after a 10# of the first bag of pellets. I added a 'pellet reflector' and hung fabric on the hole where the vent slide goes thru. I must say that I want to commend that lil rowboat. It took it's licking and didn't hurt or kill me or break too much of my stuff. Warning sticker on the transom states, "Max Load 2 people or 350#" LoL


Wound up being able to loadout the boat with eight 40# bags two in the hopper and the others here - some thought was given after almost swamping her and I could transload while afloat all 6 remaining bags.

That took 12 loads of 320# but it spread great, with little wind I could row at a good spreading speed and cover the spoil/bottom very well. Got my rowing exercise in for the week as well, the pond is 1100' long.

All 7,977.6 # of Neutralizing Value lime was added to the pond to shoot for a 7pH. Test will be done in a month and we'll see.....

 

[GoetsTalon]

I bet you slept good that night! Looking good!

 

[Sgt Fury]

The Plan:



As Built:

Got the Lime, Hydrated and Pelletized delivered the same day the trees were so the took priority. That done we got after the acidic puddle.

NOTE: in my wisdom, which is just accumulated experience, which is generally due to the result of bad decisions. All the hassel and effort could have been totally avoided IF I took soil samples of the pond bottom when the excavating was complete. Then hired out Lime Truck (one of those 4x4's that can carry up to 13T) They could have spread 2T of AgLime (or 2T/Acre NV / Acre in about 3 mins...

That is wisdom, this is experience, based on the bad decision on NOT treating the pond bottom like a food plot - I just didn't know.

The pelletized lime went great according to the plan, two quads, backing up and spreading 80# every 7 meters or so all along the Eastern edge. Took about 104 bags.

View attachment 150898

While the guys were doing this I got the respirator and a couple 5 gal buckets, 250# in 50# of hydrated lime in the old rowboat and started into my personal day of misery.



I got thru 125# maybe before I called that effort off and jumped into the pond, the extremely fine lime dust get/got everywhere. Once I was "lime free" I.e., not feeling like I was on fire in a couple places I got all MOPP'd up. Close to MOPP 3 if memory serves... anyway, I limped back with ~100# in the boat, got MOPP'd and ditched (pun) the idea of mixing in gal buckets. I spread it on the water and with very little breeze it gradually and kinda quickly disovled and sank.

It was 85▫ and in full sun... Damnitall. I had everything at the cabin / barn for chemicals so all I had to do was go get the proper PPE.
View attachment 150899

3 or so trips and and couple hours in MOPP and the hydrated lime was in. My son sent this to the family group text....

View attachment 150900

Next was the 2T or so of pelletied lime to be spread out past where the land based spread couldn't reach. So some spare lumber from the barn and some thinking... the prototype was ready.

Operational assessment of the prototype stopped after a 10# of the first bag of pellets. I added a 'pellet reflector' and hung fabric on the hole where the vent slide goes thru. I must say that I want to commend that lil rowboat. It took it's licking and didn't hurt or kill me or break too much of my stuff. Warning sticker on the transom states, "Max Load 2 people or 350#" LoL


Wound up being able to loadout the boat with eight 40# bags two in the hopper and the others here - some thought was given after almost swamping her and I could transload while afloat all 6 remaining bags.

View attachment 150901
That took 12 loads of 320# but it spread great, with little wind I could row at a good spreading speed and cover the spoil/bottom very well. Got my rowing exercise in for the week as well, the pond is 1100' long.

View attachment 150903


All 7,977.6 # of Neutralizing Value lime was added to the pond to shoot for a 7pH. Test will be done in a month and we'll see.....

This may be something you’ll need to do again. We have a lake here in southern Jersey that was an old sand wash. The state put several tons of lime to get the ph right, then stocked it with small mouth bass. The fishery took off…at least for a while. The ground water that the mining of sand in the quarry is constantly flowing, and the bass started dying off. They determined that they would need to constantly put lime into the lake, with the cost picked up by the Division of Fish and Game. They abandoned the plan and last I heard, there are no more smallies in that lake. Don’t know what kinda flow you have in your pond but this is something you should keep an eye on.