Pond/duck pond build

[Gobble4me757]

I am purchasing a property that has a natural spring "watering hole" on this. I want to expand on this and build a 1-2 acre fishing pond. I also may add onto this a 1-2 acre duck pond that I would plant/flood/drain etc. Anyone ever done this? Tips? Ball park of costs assuming extra clay is not needed etc.

The fishing part would be just some bream and bass for the kids really. Nothing serious.

Likely won't start for another year for when I can thin the timber and could cut out the area around the pond that's there now.

 

[MickThompson]

Probably meets the definition of a wetland. Dig at your own risk.

 

[Gobble4me757]

Probably meets the definition of a wetland. Dig at your own risk.

I seriously doubt this but will confirm obviously prior to. The watering hole pond was built on it a couple of years ago… I would just be expanding this

 

[CATCHDAWG]

I don't have any personal experience myself but I used to fish a 2 acre pond that they specifically built for duck hunting. It had a deep end and a shallow end. The shallow end had a valve out in the middle that could open and drain that side. They would drain it down, sow wheat and whatever and when it started coming up they would close the valve and flood it again. They always had plenty of ducks and it wasn't in what I would call a busy flyway. I'm not a waterfowler but even I was pretty impressed with what they did.

 

[Gobble4me757]

I don't have any personal experience myself but I used to fish a 2 acre pond that they specifically built for duck hunting. It had a deep end and a shallow end. The shallow end had a valve out in the middle that could open and drain that side. They would drain it down, sow wheat and whatever and when it started coming up they would close the valve and flood it again. They always had plenty of ducks and it wasn't in what I would call a busy flyway. I'm not a waterfowler but even I was pretty impressed with what they did.

That's similar to what I'm looking to do. 1.5-2 acres for fishing and 2 acres to duck hunt

 

[WilcoKen]

That's similar to what I'm looking to do. 1.5-2 acres for fishing and 2 acres to duck hunt

If you can pull it off you'd have a sweet little honey hole. I've thought about doing the same. Our old pond site was filled before I bought the place and I've considered digging it out and putting in a drain box etc. Pond wouldn't be big at all though. And I'm nowhere near any big water. But my dad is up the road and has a tiny pond that will have some ducks every now and then. Heck there was about 20 gadwalls on it a few years ago.

 

[Gunpowder]

Duck pond, you say? Whatever you do, don't let @Tenntrapper near it

 

[tickweed]

As far as the duck part, is it near a flyway? So much involved for ducks.

 

[Gobble4me757]

As far as the duck part, is it near a flyway? So much involved for ducks.

Eh it's here in north west bama. So not really but we are just south of the Tenn river and around where big ducks make it down some creeks and all. The neighbor has mallards coming to his 50 ac pond and multiple other species yearly. It is 6-700 yards from where I'm looking to do this. Not going to put a ton of erffort as it will just be 1-2 acres of likely planted millet to be hunted a couple of times a year with friends for fun. It won't be hunted day in/out like some of the places up in western Tenn etc

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

Even if you flood the shallow part… plant it with milo or rice around two edges for food, and then you can plant winter wheat around the banks… just leave an open area for landing zone… and decoy area