1. We selected this site to build the dam because it
formed a natural indentation and at times when it
rained this area always seemed to hold water quite
well.
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2. The most important component of a dam is the dam
wall. Have professional people experienced in building
dams at hand to do the job properly.
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3.
There was quite a bit of brush in the area and the
question was whether to keep it for natural cover
or not. The decision was made to clear the whole
area because we needed to dig down to create
depth for the dam; trees and brush would just
be in the way.
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4. It is important to draw up a plan for your dam
before the contractors arrive so that they know
from the onset where the humps, ridges or any other
kind of structure should be situated.
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5. Once the basic depth had been reached it was time to wet
the whole surface of the dam and to compact it with an
industrial roller; this helps seal the surface so that
you do not lose too much water when initially filling the
dam.
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6.
We built a small slipway so that it is easy to launch a little
boat if desired. Fish are less wary when approached from
the water than from the bank. Fishing from a boat is a
lot easier than having to struggle through the undergrowth & insects
to reach the best spots.
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7. Because we had cleared out all the brush initially, we had to
physically bring in new brush and timber to plant in strategic
areas. Orange trees are always a good hardy alternative for brush
and will last several years underwater. Fortunately for us living
in the bushveld we have a good variety of hardwood trees, such
as Leadwood, Knoppiesdoring and Red Bush Willow, to select from
for our timber.
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8. I chose areas such as ridges and drop-offs to plant my timber
and brush.
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9. The problem with most ground dams is that there are not always
sufficient areas for bass to spawn in so it takes a long time for
the population to grow to such a degree that you can start having
fun fishing there. I created a bay and a shallow ridge with enough
structure to hopefully entice the bass to have abundant and successful
spawning seasons.
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10. Bass prefer to spawn on hard silt-free areas; if pea-sized gravel
is available it will usually be the no.1 choice for bass. Silt destroys
bass eggs and in a ground dam there will be a lot of silt around
so this is why I created artificial nests raised off the ground for
the bass to spawn on.
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11. As the seasons progress bass move from one area to the next;
deep to shallow or vice versa, using whatever structure they can
find along their ‘migration’ routes as pit stops. When you build
a bass dam you are creating a miniature eco-system for bass to
live in and have to keep in mind that as bass behave in a big
lake so they will also behave in a small dam. Remember this as
you plan your ‘pitstops’, this rock pile is situated just before
the entrance of a deep channel that meanders through to the shallows.
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12. Bass like to use points as migration routes to move from deep
water to shallow. I created a ‘point’ and planted a ‘field’ of
timber on the deepest section where the bass can hold as they
wait to move up and down the point to feed in the shallows.
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13. The same ‘point’ with a bit more water. Here you can clearly
see how the point is surrounded by deeper water and from where
the bass will move in during the summer and winter months when
they mostly seek the depths for comfort.
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14. A clearer view, as the dam fills, of a shallower spawning ridge
with artificial nests, laydowns, brush and a deep channel that
cuts through the shallows to meet in a slightly deeper spawning
bay.
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15. It is an exciting moment when you have worked hard at trying
to create a perfect bass dam, when the work comes to an end and
you can finally start pumping in the water.
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16. The dam at approximately 50%. It has taken us two weeks of
pumping water to get the dam this full!
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17. Overhead look at the project.
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18. View from the bank once water was added.
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