If only I had a private pond.........

[beerman1981]

Are you folks anything like me? I often drift off to sleep at night fantasizing about having my own private pond. I think about which species I would stock, how big I would the pond, how deep it would be, what type of cover I would provide for the fish, etc. I decided that I would have to have a pond that was at least a couple of acres. I would stock it with largemouth, smallmouth, some nice broodstock bows, and a few channel catfish. Do you guys have the same fantasy about a private pond? What would you stock in your pond and how would you build it? Fun stuff to think about...

beerman

[JT26]

lol, im just a kid, but ive thought about it before, along with my house, my three boats, and my corvette and family for when i grow up :D

i would put in Largemouth bass, sunfish for the family to enjoy, perch for a quick meal, and trout plus and catfish.

one part would be for warmwater species and the other would be for trout. so one shallowish part with lillies and a few trees under water, and another part kindoff deep with a gravell bottom.

i checked out the rules for stocking private ponds on the WDFW and you have to have some sort of permit or something, so that sucks.

i dream big, hope that happens someday.

[beerman1981]

Yeah, there is a link on the WDFW's site about private stocking, and it doesn't look like it is too difficult to achieve such a permit... And, it's not that expensive either. But I don't foresee a pond going in the back of my apartment anytime soon:-(

Joe

[kzoo]

I've always wanted to build my own lake. Several years ago, some guy down south did the same thing, they called it Dream Lake. He designed it with humps, ledges and installed aerators. I believe you can fish there for a modest fee, and there's only two boats allowed on the lake.

If I had the oppurtunity, I would like a several acres lake. I would have it with laydowns, brush and gravel fields, maybe throw an island in there. Stocking would definetly have to be largies and smallies, also have to throw in perch, bluegill and crappies.

[tmusky1]

My pond has largemouth, bluegill, and bullhead catfish, it's also got sculpin and crawdads in it for forage. Only problem is it's too small for my liking. It's only about 1/2 acre but reaches a depth of 22 ft. deep. The best thing about it is it's only about 100ft. away from my front door. My kids like to catch wasps and hornets (carefully) and throw them in to watch the bluegill destroy them.

[Xiphias Gladius]

I have a brook across the street from my house that they stock with brook trout. When the summer comes the brook drys up exept for one big pool, so I end up ferrying trout from all over the brook to that one pool. Now I feed them every day on catfood and bits of insects and fish I find. Is there anyone who knows how I can keep the fish through the winter. I was thinking the big pool again because it has a deep spring which keep the water level high and in the winter that will become a warm spring.

[EastsideRedneck]

My dream pond... channel catfish, SM/LM bass, crappie, and perch/sunfish. I would want it to be roughly an acre or two with a bottom profile similar to a swimming pool with one side relatively rocky and the other with some submerged trees. With this being my dream pond, I would want a natural spring feeding it to keep the level relatively consistant while providing a nice area for crawfish and natural areation.

Beerman- Sad part is I used to this pond, actually three of them, in Missouri when I was a kid on my Grandfather's farm. Unfortunately over the years they got neglected once he died and the algae took over and oxygen-starved the fish. At least I have the memories... Some day, a long time from now, I'll have to get some land closer to here and do it again.

[beerman1981]

Anyone have a rough idea what it costs to build a decent sized (one or two acre) pond?

[bassackwards]

Beerman...

EVERYDAY!!!! I worked on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma back in '95 when I was there testing for the Highway Patrol, long story short, I lied my way on because I needed the money (I was single then, so I didn't need much), anyhow, 200 head of cattle, 1000 acre ranch and about 15 ponds stocked to the gills with bass that had never SEEN a lure. They were primarily used for watering the cows.

Needless to say, I was in HEAVEN. I'd get up at 4 a.m., work till 7 a.m. then jump on the 4-wheeler and head out to "check on the herd"...it was me, the cows and a ton of hungry, eager bass. One pond had a bass in it the size of Shamu...I swear....it was WALTER. I hooked into it and faught it for a few minutes, just as I got it close enough for the two of us to make eye contact, he did a mid-air kung-fu twist and splashed me....I spent the next waking months trying to find WALTER....but he never came back.

I dream daily about those days. If you're ever in Eufalla, OK, off of FR9? Stop by and say "Hi" to Walter.

[fishnislife]

There are some pretty cool websites out there that give you good info on what to do and how to do it. Just search around a little. I'm trying to find the guy who makes videos on how to create your own private lake and I'll post it up when I find them. Supposedly they are really good.
Ya know, all Bill Dance pretty much fishes is private ponds. That's why he's always catching fish.
I have always wanted to make a lake too. My dad did this when I was a kid and I had a sweet lake growing up during the summers when I would come back to visit. I actually caught my first fish out of it. We had trout, bass and cats in it. The memories I have from fishing and swimming in that lake I will never forget.
Great idea Joe. If you ever get this thing going I will be the first to volunteer to help you dig. :bounce:
Of coarse I expect the same from you when I get my private lake going. I would stock bass, panfish, trout and cats. As a bass man, my main goal would be to grow monster bass and design the lake for them. The other fish would of coarse be there just to fatten them up. But I'm sure there would be huge panfish and trout after years of work.
Joe, I do remember my dad working very hard to build and maintain it. I do know back then (20yrs ago) it cost him a couple thousand for the whole thing and he did a lot of work himself.
Good luck and I too dream this same dream.


fishnislife

[bassackwards]

Anyone have a rough idea what it costs to build a decent sized (one or two acre) pond?

Hey Beerman...

Put me down for $20 toward the new pond/lake. Years from now when you're running guided trips on it I can say I was one of the founding fathers....no one needs to know the details.

I'm in for the dig as well. Just tell me when and where and I'm there with my shovel in one hand and fishing pole in the other.

Jon

[iPodrodder]

Ughh......now you guys have me fantasizing....thanks a lot......

[beerman1981]

haha, sounds great guys! I'll be there at your opening dig as well, shovel in hand!

[MikeFishes]

My pond has largemouth, bluegill, and bullhead catfish, it's also got sculpin and crawdads in it for forage. Only problem is it's too small for my liking. It's only about 1/2 acre but reaches a depth of 22 ft. deep. The best thing about it is it's only about 100ft. away from my front door. My kids like to catch wasps and hornets (carefully) and throw them in to watch the bluegill destroy them.

Hey, there's an idea. User videos. Tape it and send it in to Mike et al for all of us dreamers! :thumleft:

[tnj8222]

man you guys think just like me.. i have been thinking of this for years. i would want it to be atleast 2 acres with a few bass bluegill perch and black crappie. about 20 feet deep max and i want muddy water.. i love muddy water.. ahhhh to dream!!

[sanfrandan]

It never occured to me to build a pond probably because I've never fished in one but, What a great flippin idea! I think If I ever made one it would have Rainbows and Brookies in the deep cold end with some sort of weed protestion. Also give me Perch and Crappies. Love to eat them more than Bass. Definetly NO SUNFISH!! Can't stand those little pest. I think about 3 acres would be good. Also make it deep enough so they can survive the winter freeze.Maybe some rocks to provide cover for crawdads.

[Derrick-k]

It never occured to me to build a pond probably because I've never fished in one but, What a great flippin idea! I think If I ever made one it would have Rainbows and Brookies in the deep cold end with some sort of weed protestion. Also give me Perch and Crappies. Love to eat them more than Bass. Definetly NO SUNFISH!! Can't stand those little pest. I think about 3 acres would be good. Also make it deep enough so they can survive the winter freeze.Maybe some rocks to provide cover for crawdads.

Now that's an idea! what about that idea with it dug like 100ft deep, with landlocked steelhead/salmon/kokanee,
Now that would cost a perty penney!

[gpc]

Yes I fall to sleep to this thought a lot. My doctor has property between cle elum and ellensburg. On his property is a pond. Its a pretty nice size, you can troll on it with an 8' Livingston. It doesnt really get maintained to well but there are some very nice bows in it. Its a nice pond, a creek going into it hits 30' feet deep and has a n island. At one point in time they put a green on the island and use to drive golf ball from the deck to the green.

I would make the pond about 2 acres and hit depths of 40'. I would also make sure to have a nice sized creek so trout can spawn and reproduce in the pond. I would bring in a couple dump trucks of various size gravel and rocks, as well as dumping some old cars for even more cover. I would also add some artificial cover like mar don resort is doing to potholes res. Another thing I would do is collect Christmas trees and dump in a whole bunch of dead Christmas trees, a couple of concrete road barriers, probably 7 cords of trees and a 50 tons of sand for a nice sandy bottom portion of the pond. Then I would read a couple of books on aquatic vegetation, but I am a big fan of Lilly's.

As far as the fish. This is my main problem. But for the first decade I would do strictly trout. Very rare trout. Redband bows, Apache trout, dolly varden, tiger, brook to name a few. Then I would open the pond as a private fly fishing only pond. I think in about 10 years I might be able to pay off the majority of the debt. I think a great way to market he pond would be to produce some world records. Not so people can claim them, but just to talk about. You know the state record tiger trout is 6lb and some change, but if you get a tiger and put him in a tank and grow him to 8 lbs, people who catch him and claim they smashed the state record by 2 lbs, but still not to be able to actually get there names in the record book.

After the pond is paid off things would change. As much as I love to panfish I dont think I would add them, until I did a lot of research, I am too afraid of stunting. But I would add 100 or so 10lb trout, mostly browns but some bows and cutts. A lot of walleye and some huge cats. Probably blues, but maybe Flatheads, something not to common in WA. But I would mostly be interested in species that arnt in WA state, you know to switch it up a little bit. I would also need a dock, and a duck blind

[ruthven78]

My family often went to a private lake up near Kettle Falls. My grandfather was/is good friends with the person who owned it. Im not sure if the same ole guy owns it or if he died or not, if he did he would have willed it to his son. Last I knew it wasnt being aerated or stocked but who knows, if he lets me stock it maybe he will agree to keep the aerator running and allow me unrestricted in & out privileges. My dad used to take us up there a lot and we never got skunked. We only used flies and mostly did catch & release unless we knew someone who was wanting a fish or two. I should try to track down the owner and see. It was a decent sized lake.

So yes, I fantasize about owning my own private pond or lake.....heck I would be happy with just waterfront property be is lake or river. There was a real estate ad recently selling a house up at Horseshoe Lake (Pend Orielle Co) for $195,000....http://windermere.com/index.cfm?fuseact ... D=17905372...another house on Horseshoe is going for $450,000 hehe......http://windermere.com/index.cfm?fuseact ... D=17884762

If you have a cool million or so there is a resort for sale on Deer Lake (Stevens Co) hehe...yeah if I was already established in my career I would be buying that place for $195k on Horseshoe

[Fish-or-man?]

A WORD OF CATION:

Sure having your own pond sounds great, but take into account the Twilight Zoney effects I once fell victim to. During my early high school years I had a pretty well-off friend who had a neighbor with a two acre bass pond in his backyard. He let my friend (and by extension, me, as long as I was with him) use it whenever my friend wanted.

These bass did not know of man's trickery; they'd strike at about anything provided you put it right in front of them. Good sized bass too, average was probably close to two pounds, although there were a few four and five pounders in the lake. The lake held bullhead catfish, sculpin, and HUGE bluegill too. I saw a dead bluegill on the shoreline once (it literally must of died of old age), and I was thinking about taking it home to use a throw rug it was so blasted huge.

Anyway, point of my rambling is this: I enjoyed fishing at this private pond so much that when my friend asked if I wanted to go to a nearby lake to fish, a REAL lake, I'd try my hardest to sway him to fishing at that glorious, glorious pond. I missed a bunch of real life fishing experience because that pond owned me. It was like the Matrix or something, ya know? It wasn't real, but I didn't care! Plus how do you brag about a four pound bass you caught out of a private pond?

Now ask yourself, is that really how you want to spend your free time? Catching large stupid fish, again and again?

Uh, that's a rhetorical question.