...how do you keep trees and plants from growing along the banks and in the water? I just got through cleaning up and cutting away everything and don't want to do it again. I am planning on mowing up to where the bank drops off. I do have fish.

Thanks.

We used this guy. He had the big momma amphib tractor and cleaned the pond. Great job. I’d send a video, but I think the file is too big. He’s in South Louisiana, but goes all over Texas too. He fit us in when he made a tour through the area.

Ok, interesting. Did he just clean up weeds and what not? Or did he dredge it?

I guess the best way to explain it is that he had a shovel/grapple on the front of that thing. He’d dig and grapple up about 6’ of the pond bank, climb out and dump it in a pile. He worked pretty fast with that amphib tractor, and when he got finished (took 2 days), the pond bank was clean. Here’s before and after. He really cleaned up the cattails and weeds and everything.

Action shot.

Thanks, he did a great job. I guess I was hoping there was something I could use to suppress growth without harming the aquatic animals.

How did he rig that hydraulic grapple up?

He bought it for this specific purpose. Made in Sweden, I think. Cost about $250k, if memory is correct. He didn’t modify it or rig anything up, since it was made to do what it does.

One thing to mention is that he got all that stuff from the pond and dumped it in piles near the bank. Weeds and mud. I got his lowest price because I took care of those piles, using my tractor and grapple to make a real big pile. Let it dry for a couple of weeks and then burned it.

Didn’t harm the fish at all, though it did muddy the water for a time.

Prior to this, we got lots of chemicals and potions from places like The Pond Guy. It might have worked, but the weed growth was too big to whip by then. I decided to go big. Pond looks good now and the fish are biting.

He was a real nice guy and very knowledgeable. If you call them, you probably will talk to his wife to get on their schedule.

Thanks, I might not have any other options. It's good to see his work, though, before hand. Appreciate it!

I have some cool videos of the machine working that the wife took, so I’ll try to post one. Probably too big to send, but I’ll try.

Nope. Can’t seem to do it.

On the few times I’ve needed to, I got my grandson to paddle a jon boat while I used a pump up sprayer.