Large pond help

[kearth]

If all goes as well as planned I will be moving in a few months to house with a large pond.

It is about an acre with what looks to be like a red clay bottom.

I plan on fencing it in a bit and adding plants, driftwood, etc.

Where do i even start getting it ready to stock with fish and what kind of fish can I use? Natives only? There will also be turtles in the pond as well.

I am not sure of the depth of the pond yet and will work on getting pics hopefully this weekend.

 

[Muske]

Natives for sure. A big population of various pan fish with some preds.

Fence only if needed to keep out neighbors. Save the money for fish and shoreline plants.

Anything over 4' deep is going to need bottom areation. Many different price points for all sorts of models.

Once the pond is dug, start with minnows (fatheads and shinners, or what is recomended in your area) to start a forage base for the other fish.

I would only have a handful of catfish or none. In a clay bottomed pond they will keep silt and particulates floating in the water column. The turtles can act as the scavengers.

Contact local hatcheries for any pointers and stock recomendations.

 

[Zfishies]

^^this but depends what turtle you will keep and don't get something to messy and to many last thing you want in that big of a pond is an algea problem 0.0