1/3/2024 0 Comments Dredge a farm pondRenovating and deepening the shallow edges also offers an opportunity to create gravel spawning areas, underwater islands, earthen piers, and travel channels from the deeper areas to the shallower areas of the pond. Areas that used to be used for spawning are now covered with a foot or more of silt. Many areas that used to be deep are now silted from erosion or silt runoff from the watershed. They do, however, provide ideal habitat for aquatic weed growth, causing problems throughout most of the year. The shallow banks and coves where water levels were less than 2 feet do not provide good fish habitat or fishing areas. Once you drain the old pond, you begin to see why the physical features were no longer conducive to fish production and/or fishing. Don’t forget to renovate the puddles that may be present before you think of restocking! It is also a good time to think about new stocking strategies to help create the type of fishing you desire (see Don Keller’s article about the 30:1 pond stocking strategy). In old ponds, be sure to inspect the drain pipe, spillway and dam, and refurbish these if necessary. Draining the pond in late summer or early fall allows the pond bottom to dry where machinery can begin to deepen the typically shallow areas and create great fish habitat. The fall is a great time to work on these old ponds, as it is typically the driest time of the year. Some old ponds can be economically renovated and turned into attractive lakes and great fishing holes. Many of you watch programs on television that depict changing a structurally sound old house into a gorgeous home, and pond restoration isn’t that much different. Smith | Originally published in GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine
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