Managing Your Farm Pond

Farm ponds are one of Kentucky's most valuable aquatic resources. A farm pond can have numerous functions, including a source of extra income, irrigation, water source for livestock, fire protection, flood control, and wildlife habitat. However, one of a farm pond's most enjoyable functions is providing hours of fishing.

KDFWR has a new series of farm pond management pages to take you from start to finish on building, stocking, and managing your farm pond. It has several sections to assist with all aspects of farm pond management. Visit the Farm Pond Management page.

In addition to the new farm pond pages, there are a couple of other documents pertaining to farm pond management. Kerry Prather, a former fisheries District Biologist, has written a short article on common farm pond problems that may be useful to you. Read Solving Pond Problems. You can also email the Info Center at info.center@ky.gov for a free copy of our "Management Guide for Ponds and Small Lakes in Kentucky." You can also read the Management Guide for Ponds and Small Lakes in Kentucky online (PDF).

Our District Biologists are also a great resource, particularly for more localized information. You can find a list of contact numbers and email addresses on the Fisheries Staff Contacts page. If you have a vegetation issue, before contacting your local district biologist about vegetation in your pond, use the Guide for Submitting Photos for Aquatic Plant Identification (PDF). Detailed photos will assist the biologist in identification and recommendations for control.

To provide hours of good fishing, a pond must be adequately stocked. Many pond owners may try to stock their ponds with locally caught fish. This practice is highly unadvisable because it usually results in an unbalanced or undesirable fish population. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) offers help to those wanting pond management advice.

KDFWR has experimented with various fish combinations for pond stocking and has found Largemouth Bass and Bluegill to be the best combination for most Kentucky waters. Channel Catfish are also a good option for most ponds.

Several consulting firms work in Kentucky if you wish to contact a private pond consultant to assist with managing your pond. You can find our current Pond Consultant List (PDF).