Stocked pond

[huntinstuff]

I have a piece of land near Falher and am considering digging a 100'x80'x24' deep pond. Give or take a few feet. From what Ive seen, 24' deep is a decent depth for keeping trout alive without aeration, although aeration might be a good idea anyways.

Im thinking the banks will taper down to 24' at the bottom, and the bottom will have a flat base about 18' wide.

Anyone with recent experience constructing one of these? It will be in a private, well treed area with decent run off.

Or better yet, if you know of a company that needs fill, this might work out well for both of us.

Im planning now for next year.

[HuyFishin]

I have no experience in this but i just want to say damnnnn

You're living my dream life. I want my own pond.

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

I have no experience in this but i just want to say damnnnn

You're living my dream life. I want my own pond.

Lol.

My big plan is to put a small cabin or atco type building there and rent it out to hunters who want a safe place to base from with no one around so they can head out in the area to hunt and have a decent place to come back to other than a hotel. And if they want to fish and have a fire without seeing anyone else around.

[Bigwoodsman]

That sounds like a great idea.

Have you considered giving the pond an odd shape? Two bays with an narrows and a point maybe or in the shape of an "S"?
Give your pond some character.

BW

[Retiredguy]

I had a big dugout at our last farm and stocked it with rainbows. The size and depth you are proposing should work well, but I would recommend that you aerate to be safe. I have seen quite a few people have winter kill without it, even though it was quite deep. Happened to me one winter.

I would also recommend that you get some of those triploid grass carp and put them in the pond. They will keep the grass and weeds down and really improve the water quality, especially if you also aerate.

We are looking at buying a new place in the Peace area and I will be doing the same thing as you, unless the place we buy already has a big dugout that is deep enough. Not uncommon for trout to grow an inch a month during the "growing" season with all of the insects we get in the north country during the summer.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Lol.

My big plan is to put a small cabin or atco type building there and rent it out to hunters who want a safe place to base from with no one around so they can head out in the area to hunt and have a decent place to come back to other than a hotel. And if they want to fish and have a fire without seeing anyone else around.

Sounds awesome.


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[Twisted Canuck]

I'll help you build the cabin!

[sns2]

I would talk to Northwinds. I've been to his place, and he has multiple trout ponds, and knows his stuff.

[jstubbs]

Originally Posted by sns2

I would talk to Northwinds. I've been to his place, and he has multiple trout ponds, and knows his stuff.

2nd this.

[Smoky buck]

Shoot me a PM after Friday I will have more free time. Owned my own aquaculture outfits for 10years working with rainbows

Dealt with a pond stocking or 2 or maybe a little more than that even lol

[Grizzly Adams1]

I know some places up there, ground water levels are pretty shallow, that gonna be a problem ?

Grizz

[Red Bullets]

The nicest dugout I ever saw had the dirt and clay from the dugout hole piled next to the dugout. There was a trough cut into the pile that circled the pile and descended into the dugout. It had a pump that pumped the water to the top of the dirt mound. The pumped water would flow down in the trough. The dirt pile was seeded with grass and had blueberry bushes all over it. The water flowing in the trough kept the water aerated during open water seasons.


Some info about dugouts in Alberta. Check with the province for legal requirements. A new dugout will take a few years before you can stock fish. I think a person can also stock a dugout with freshwater prawns in Alberta unless it has changed.

https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex1348/$file/485_716-1.pdf?OpenElement

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/92ba...3-485-50-1.pdf

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/7321...jun29-2015.pdf

[Sooner]

Growing up our neighbors family had a farm by Lamont. When the county came knocking for clay to pave a highway, it was win, win as they wanted a pond and here was the opportunity as the county did all the work for the clay they wanted. It was a nice big rectangle and deep. Boy did it grow big trout.


Sounds like you will have a dream property soon huntinstuff.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

That sounds like a great idea.

Have you considered giving the pond an odd shape? Two bays with an narrows and a point maybe or in the shape of an "S"?
Give your pond some character.

BW

First thing that came to mind after reading the dig description.

It gets boring with just a fishbowl.

Add some shape and contour, a flat for sure.
Nature loves the complexity, especially the bugs, which fish love.

Dug out a 2 acre sized pond a few years ago, kidney shaped with 1/3 being a large flat about 4-10' deep, a deep channel along one side with a shallow ridge out a bit before the main bowl which went to 22'. Aeration is installed in the deep water, only used in late winter, which allowed for skating the rest of the ice season. A weekly oxygen test determined when aeration was needed.

This shape was better and easier (less$) than just digging one uniform bowl. A larger pond could be excavated for the same price of a uniform deep bowl.

Come spring, the fish cruise the shallows, looking for the creek that didn't get running before the property was sold, (Did as Red B mentions, mounded tailings and put in a pump for a waterfall/creek) and used the deep water when desired. Fishing it, you had to figure out where the fish are and how to fish them.... so much better than just a bowl.

[hehalta]

In order to keep a reasonable slope and go to 24 feet deep ,your dimensions may not be enough.

[Red Bullets]

Will also mention that shallow areas are prone to fish hunting birds hunting your pond. Deep sides along the shorelines will deter the fish hunting birds because they can't wade as easy.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Will also mention that shallow areas are prone to fish hunting birds hunting your pond. Deep sides along the shorelines will deter the fish hunting birds because they can't wade as easy.

Trust me from first hand experience they just spear them from shore instead and the fish come closer to shore

There is other options but most are ugly and interfere with shore fishing

[Peace Meal Farm]

Keep us/me posted for the fill material.

I am right on the 744 in Marie Reine. I have plans to be building a new home (slab on grade) in the next year to two. The old farmstead home that's on the lot - which we are living in - will be taken down once possession is final on the new place. It has a dug concrete basement which will need fill material when the time comes.

[densa44]

The dept of agriculture would pay for this and you could use dynomite. Now for the depth you want it might take a lot of powder but Im qualified. Just bore the holes, wait for a windy day so you won't have to move much of the fill.

Good luck buying a box of 60% Forceite today!

Have fun.

[silver]

I have dug my share of dugouts and 14 to 16 feet of depth seems to work out well. Listen to the guys that have more time in with fish because they may know different. Aeration isnt a bad idea for the occaisional bad year.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

Trust me from first hand experience they just spear them from shore instead and the fish come closer to shore

There is other options but most are ugly and interfere with shore fishing

Knew a guy who had a fake alligator floating in his pond, supposedly worked.

Grizz

[NCC]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

I know some places up there, ground water levels are pretty shallow, that gonna be a problem ?

Grizz

In most areas up there the clay is completely impervious to water but the odd area is sandy so it might be a good idea to dig some test holes. I have a 400’ by 150’ by 25’ deep eyesore in front of my house that was supposed to be a fish pond.

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

Knew a guy who had a fake alligator floating in his pond, supposedly worked.

Grizz

All decoys are only temporarily effective and guys in aquaculture have tried it all even the alligator lol

[Dewey Cox]

Originally Posted by NCC

In most areas up there the clay is completely impervious to water but the odd area is sandy so it might be a good idea to dig some test holes. I have a 400’ by 150’ by 25’ deep eyesore in front of my house that was supposed to be a fish pond.

Is it completely dry?
Have you looked into some bentonite to seal it?

[curtis_rak]

Randy - when you have time, check out the dugoutdude (http://www.thedugoutdude.ca) his name is Randy as well and he’s a retired water tech with a lot of great ideas and gear that might be helpful.

I run one of his solar aerators and it has worked well for me. I didn’t have $3000 to spend on a system that you might find the hatcheries selling and he hooked me up. His after sale service is also great.

He’s a good resource as well to speak to before you dig the hole.


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[ghostguy6]

Originally Posted by jstubbs

2nd this.

x3. If you end up visiting Northwind's make sure you being cash. The smoked trout sausage is great!

[NCC]

Originally Posted by Dewey Cox

Is it completely dry?
Have you looked into some bentonite to seal it?

It fills to the brim each spring and drops to about 3’ by fall. I’ve thought of getting bentonite but I think I’d need a super B full to make a difference. I almost had a drilling rig consultant talked into dumping all of the surface mud from a couple of holes in my dugout but he correctly decided it wasn’t worth risking his job over.

[stob]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

That sounds like a great idea.

Have you considered giving the pond an odd shape? Two bays with an narrows and a point maybe or in the shape of an "S"?
Give your pond some character.

BW

x2, and you need to consider a littoral zone, as well as the ability for cattails ( like dragon lake @ quesnel) and some variable basin structure ( maybe an old tractor haha!) .. an island ... east pit lake by wabamun is an example of a great successful project ... you could emulate some of the attributes of that lake ... have fun, looking forward to seeing your dream come to fruition

[Sundancefisher]

Biggest concern in any pond build is water retention.

Is the ground clay or gravel. If you have some clay you will want to stockpile that in one pile and once the pond is dug out confirm it has enough clay to line the pond.

You may need to dig deeper to allow for the addition of clay to seal the pond.

Not sure if you want to hire someone to test drill down to 50 feet. That said there may be data in the area to say what the clay, soil and glacial tills. Glacial tills are very bad for pond construction.

When building factor in an aeration system so need power to the site.

[stob]

bentonite clay to seal a leak is what a buddy used on his pond, idk how it was applied