Use a pond to raise fish for food on your property -- we'll show you the simplest ways to stock your pond with fish you'd like to eat. As the University of Arkansas Extension so penetratingly observes, "Fish ponds are like other agriculture, just wetter." In our new video Tricia visits Pete's pond in Nevada County and talks about the basics of pond design, planting, and adding fish.

Fishy facts

Three species of fish do especially well in a one-acre (or larger) freshwater pond.  The beginner's easy strategy for stocking a pond is to add both Largemouth Bass and Bluegill. The Bluegills serve as food for the bass, both the Bluegill and the bass serve as food for the humans who fish the pond. For something completely different, try a catfish pond (or add catfish as the third species along with the bass and the Bluegill). The trio are: Bass Largemouth Bass is a big fish that is easy to catch, and popular as a main course. The top predator in most ponds, the population of bass can be controlled by fishing. Bluegill Young Bluegills are called bream, and are enjoyed by humans and bass alike. Catfish If you crave catfish, try a pond with nothing but Channel Catfish as the big fish. Also used as the third fish with bass and Bluegill, but it may be hard to control the predation by those bass.

A fish attraction is an amusement park for fish

If your world were an acre of water, you'd want some diversion too. A fish attraction lurks under the water here. It's something you add to the pond to make the environment more interesting for the fish -- it typically includes places to hide. Place the fish attraction close to where you will be fishing, since you might as well cast into a school of fish, right?

Too much of a good thing

Ponds can get overrun with algae. As the algae decomposes it pulls oxygen from the water. You don't have to be an ichthyologist to have a healthy, fish-filled pond -- just stick to the basics on stocking your pond with fish.