Pond Excavation & Build

Red_Alert said:
Yeah.
Most of the digging is done. The diesel pump's been removed and it's filling up about 6" a day.

Got a side dumper coming in today to start hauling the dirt away. It's all been bought.
Calling the fish hatchery today to get that scheduled.
Next up will be getting a well pump installed, a wind/solar hybrid system to power the well, camping pads, and guest house.
Getting some vegetation around it to prevent erosion.
Then finally getting a dock installed when I know where the water level will be.

I'll post some pics later.
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Fish hatchery? Are you lining it with tarp or something? It takes a while to reach a "settled" state to add fish.
 
temptresstoo said:
Fish hatchery? Are you lining it with tarp or something? It takes a while to reach a "settled" state to add fish.
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Granted, it was blasted out of granite, but the pond we made in the bottom of the pit had fish in it like a month after it was filled with water with nobody stocking it. They were all tiny fish that I assume either came from eggs shit out by birds, or were washed in from the overflow pipe from the wash plant water pond on the edge of the pit
 
temptresstoo said:
Fish hatchery? Are you lining it with tarp or something? It takes a while to reach a "settled" state to add fish.
Click to expand...

No need for a tarp.

It's ground water fed. Crystal clear.

There are already frogs and water bugs in it.

I can get 1000 fathead minnows for $40. Worms will work their way in naturally.

Going with 100 6"-8" yellow perch and another 100 6+" crappie to start.
I'll get some bluegill from a neighbors pond with a cast net. (yeah I learned how to do that in Mississippi/Louisiana)
I'll see if I get any largemouth bass with the cast net. If not then I'll order some.

Catfish, bullhead, and carp will find their way in naturally with eggs from bird legs and feathers.
I do want some painted turtles though. Probably have to buy them.

Fish Stocking

Nebraska Lake Management: Fish stocking. Largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, crappie, hybrid bluegill, yellow perch, grass carp, fathead minnows, wipers, walleye, and blue catfish.
www.nelakes.net
 
Illustrious Potentate said:
Granted, it was blasted out of granite, but the pond we made in the bottom of the pit had fish in it like a month after it was filled with water with nobody stocking it. They were all tiny fish that I assume either came from eggs shit out by birds, or were washed in from the overflow pipe from the wash plant water pond on the edge of the pit
Click to expand...

Yep.

A neighbors pond about a mile away has a bunch of bullhead in it. He hasn't stocked it with anything.
 
Bayou Tiger said:
I find any wild fowl to be quite foul tasting.

Duck and goose especially so. The meat has the same texture and tastes as calf liver.

I don't like yard raised chickens either....or the nasty eggs they lay. (it has shit all over it!)

I like store bought dairy, produce and proteins, thank you very much!
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Got to cook duck and goose like a steak, rare to medium rare.
 
dhoey said:
I've eaten a lot of wild turkey. If you pluck it, throw it in the oven and cook it like a butterball, it's not gonna taste good.
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Bil smoked it
 
Illustrious Potentate said:
Dove and pheasant is awesome.
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I've obviously got a lot of pheasant/quail being surrounded by corn and beans.

What I've got too many of are these Eurasian Doves. They're an invasive species.

Mourning and white winged doves can only be hunted from Sept 1st - Oct 30th (2 months), but the Eurasian doves can also be hunted from Oct 31 to Aug 31. So all year.

You can tell the Eurasian doves by the black collar on the back of their neck and they're slightly bigger. They taste the same to me.

1657726645440.png
 
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Red_Alert said:
I've obviously got a lot of pheasant/quail being surrounded by corn and beans.

What I've got too many of are these Eurasian Doves. They're an invasive species.

Mourning and white winged doves can only be hunted from Sept 1st - Oct 30th (2 months), but the Eurasian doves can be hunted from Oct 31 to and Aug 31 (10 months).

You can tell the Eurasian doves by the black collar on the back of their neck and they're slightly bigger. They taste the same to me.

View attachment 77973
Click to expand...
The wild quail population around here is pretty negligible. I haven’t found a covy since I was a kid. The coyote population has skyrocketed since I was a kid, and I think that’s a big reason for the lack of quail. Coyotes and wild hogs are the only two animals with a year round season with no bag limit around here(the hogs are more of a south GA problem, but it’s a statewide open season)

I go to South Dakota to pheasant hunt every November

I’ve never seen the Eurasian doves around here.
 
Peter Gozintite said:
Bil smoked it
Click to expand...
Smoking it is tough, little to no fat. A good brine will help. I've made pastrami that turned out good. Crock pot the legs, pull the meat and it makes good tacos and sliders. Easiest dish is to grind it with some bacon and make burgers.
 
Red_Alert said:
No need for a tarp.

It's ground water fed. Crystal clear.

There are already frogs and water bugs in it.

I can get 1000 fathead minnows for $40. Worms will work their way in naturally.

Going with 100 6"-8" yellow perch and another 100 6+" crappie to start.
I'll get some bluegill from a neighbors pond with a cast net. (yeah I learned how to do that in Mississippi/Louisiana)
I'll see if I get any largemouth bass with the cast net. If not then I'll order some.

Catfish, bullhead, and carp will find their way in naturally with eggs from bird legs and feathers.
I do want some painted turtles though. Probably have to buy them.

Fish Stocking

Nebraska Lake Management: Fish stocking. Largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, crappie, hybrid bluegill, yellow perch, grass carp, fathead minnows, wipers, walleye, and blue catfish.
www.nelakes.net
Click to expand...
You gonna put any tasty bass in there?
 
dhoey said:
Smoking it is tough, little to no fat. A good brine will help. I've made pastrami that turned out good. Crock pot the legs, pull the meat and it makes good tacos and sliders. Easiest dish is to grind it with some bacon and make burgers.
Click to expand...
I'll just pass.
 
Fish said:
You gonna put any tasty bass in there?
Click to expand...
Stirring Cbs GIF by Big Brother
 
Illustrious Potentate said:
The wild quail population around here is pretty negligible. I haven’t found a covy since I was a kid. The coyote population has skyrocketed since I was a kid, and I think that’s a big reason for the lack of quail. Coyotes and wild hogs are the only two animals with a year round season with no bag limit around here(the hogs are more of a south GA problem, but it’s a statewide open season)

I go to South Dakota to pheasant hunt every November

I’ve never seen the Eurasian doves around here.
Click to expand...

I woke up to the sound of a bobwhite out my bedroom window this morning.

Yep. Coyote population has exploded around here too. Mainly because the pelts aren't worth much anymore.
There's no season on them. Shoot 'em up.

This one was out my living room window a few months ago. He's standing where the pond is now. He was gone by the time I fetched my rifle. Lucky bastard.

1657727292383.png
 
huskers1217 said:
i showed @moxie my water once...then the bigfoot legend grew... not doing that again.
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If you were being a neighborly husker, you would've hopped over to RA's yard and stomped that new pond for him. One hop, skip & jump and all three acres would have been dug up.
 
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