digging out large pond for a few trout

[sjroberts1]

on my parents farm we have an overgrown pond which i would like to make bigger up to approx 30m X 15m at the moment the pond is probably about 10m X 10m, i would like to get the pond dug out deeper and bigger, a lot of the ground that will be dug out is boggy and overgrown with bushes and a couple of old dying trees, my questions are

would i need to line the pond once dug out the soil around here is not very clay, was asking this as the pond is fed from a spring which is a few fields away the pond is in the bottom of a V in the land so it will get surface run off as well

The pond will be used to hold a few trout hopefully so how deep would i need to dig it out? i was thinking that in the deepest it would probably be maybe 6 or 7m

a lot of the spoil that i dig out will be used for making the dam and filling in elsewhere would i need to do anything special to the dam other than out a drain pipe and an overflow into it

and the last question for now is any idea on how much it would cost me to get an excavator type machine in to do the digging? we can cart the spoil ourselves, on that note would it just be easier and cheaper to just get a specialist in to do all the work for me i would have thought a good driver would have the pond dug in a few days

thanks and sorry for being so clueless

 

[merlin50]

Trout ponds should always include pumps and filters to keep the water oxygenated. You'll also need to watch the water temperature, since trout won't do well in water that gets too warm

 

[Alarm]

Also can we have a free ticket.
I just love fresh caught trout,hope its not a fly fish only either!!
Stuck up baskets!

 

[sjroberts1]

due to the pond being away from any buildings and a few hundred meters away from any source of electric i was thinking of having a few of the solar oxygenators or something similar, i dont think i'l be able to build up the incoming stream enough to make the water turbulent and self oxygenate the water

was going to be using fly but kids might and thats a big might be able to use a worm - if they ask nice enough!!!

 

[Alarm]

Ahh well good luck.
They turned the old reservoirs into a sanctuary ( Barn Elms), so nearest trout lake is now Syon Park and fly only!!! And super expensive.

Going to partake in some more serious sea fishing this summer. Give the Carp and Barble rods a rest. Also bored with the Pole already!! Spinning has been good with some decent Perch.

 

[sjroberts1]

its only going to be a bit of a hobby instead of going to big fisheries me and the boy can get down to the pond and catch our tea!! probably more of a fantasy than reality but im hopeful that i can pull it off within the next year or 2

cheers