People have different reasons for putting a pond in their backyard. For most individuals, ponds serve an aesthetic purpose because it adds beauty and perhaps sound to the landscape. But for some others, fish ponds serve as their primary fishing place. In the latter, owners usually put fish in the ponds that can immediately grow and multiply. It's hard to monitor how many fishes have grown in the pond and you must also remember that the fishes are very sensitive to the abnormal activities on water and land. This type of information can usually be gotten from the fish farm where you buy the baby fish. The fishes can easily feel vibrations in and out of the water. Like any other livestock you need to treat the fish right and show them care.
Fishing in the river is very much different from pond fishing. If pond fishing is your primary reason why you installed a pond in the backyard, you have to ensure that you put fishes which are suited for this type of enclosure. Fishing in your backyard can provide relaxation and excitement depending on the type of fish you seed your pond with. Fishing from the bank of a pond provides a very special time to bond with the kids or wife. "There is much more to fishing than catching fish."
At this point I have to say that if I was going to put in place a pond big enough for fishing and raising everything that looks like a fish then I would employ a professional pond builder and architect to guard against unexpected unpleasantness like a dam breakage and spill over, leaks, government ordinances, building permits, etc. There can many surprises and unhappiness that can come from a pond which tries to go into business for itself. Your neighbors may have something to say about how the water seems to be accumulating on their property and it just doesn't drain the way it used to before the pond was put in. However, if you are determined to make this a do-it-yourself project, before anything else, you must give close attention to the layout of your pond.
IMO, the first order of business is to determine the source of the water. The water will naturally dissipate or evaporate in the sun; the water can also become stagnant and smell bad as well as draw mosquitoes and other pests. To keep your pond full and fresh and eliminate most of the insect type pests, you need a constant water source such as a stream or creek or even a fresh water spring which can flow into the pond site.
You will need a dam or a spillway to allow the excess water to flow out for obvious reasons. This spillway can be gravity fed, manually operated or electrically set into motion. Naturally, you will need to determine the inflow amount of water from the creek or spring in order to maintain the desired level of the pond water.
Your pond must be situated in a low area of the yard to prevent flooding during rainy days. The pond should also be placed far from the trees and bigger plants. That way, you don't have to remove tree debris everyday. You should also put water plants in your pond. Fish do not have eyelids so the sun hurts and blinds them. Be sure and put some lilly pads in the pond so they may find some shade. This discourages the formation of numerous algae. Extreme attention should also be given to the edges of your pond. Well, depending on the size of the pond, the sides should perhaps be lined with plastic or concrete so that the surrounding soil will not come into contact with the pond water; the pond will also be cleaner if you line the sides. Fertilizer or other lawn food leaching from the soil may be harmful to your fish and will encourage unwanted growth in the pond.
Another very important thing is to line the bank with rocks. If the edges of the pond are made up of rocks, very little dirt will fall into the pond. Fishing will be from the edges of the pond and so you shouldn't forget about this very important factor. The pond can be small or big and it will depend on your yard space and on how much time you're willing to spend on it. Bigger pond means more fishes to grow and catch as compared to a smaller one. You think?
Proper care should be exercised with fish ponds. You must remember that the fishes are contained in the pond. You have to clean the pond regularly to get rid of algae and other debris on the water. That way, you can prevent pollution. You should also note the date when you dropped the fishes so you can at least determine the right time to start fishing. Again, the fish farm where you got the species of fish will be able to give you this vital information.
With pond fishing, you don't have to get a small boat because the space is just small. You can just position yourself in a good shady spot and that's it; throw the fishing line and wait for the fish. Don't forget about the proper care for your fish pond and you will surely grow more fishes. Spend time, effort, and money and you will have a beautiful pond with happy creatures.
For more detailed information on how to build a pond that you and your family and guests will enjoy, I recommend this book.
Cause Joy!
