Blog · since 2012
Notes from the water, written by Walt Foreman
134 articles on building lakes, stocking them, growing trophy bass and bluegill, and the mistakes we see owners pay for. Straight talk from the people who do the work.
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Filter by topic. For the studies behind our advice, see the research library.
2026
- Lake and Pond Aeration in Tennessee: the BasicsWeeds and water · 4 min
- Lake and Pond Dredging in Tennessee: Hydraulic versus ExcavationConstruction · 6 min
- Managing Weedgrowth in Your Tennessee Lake: Avoid Corporate FraudstersWeeds and water · 5 min
- Growing Trophy Bass in Private Lakes in the South: Selecting the Right BiologistBass · 6 min
- We Have Smallmouth Bass for Sale!Bass · 1 min
- Factors to Consider When Hiring a Lake Management CompanyManagement · 7 min
- Growing Trophy Bass in Private Lakes in Tennessee: the Importance of GeneticsBass · 4 min
- Lake and Pond Construction: Dozer DriversConstruction · 2 min
- Lake Construction: Avoid Consultants Who Play ContractorConstruction · 3 min
2025
- Trophy Bass in Private Lakes in Tennessee: This Is What Top-level Genetics Look LikeBass · 2 min
- The Real Bluegill Expert Part IIBluegill · 6 min
- Trophy Bass in Private Lakes in east Tennessee: Should I Stock Florida Bass?Bass · 3 min
- Growing Trophy Fish in Private Lakes in Tennessee: Northern Companies and Pond DyeWeeds and water · 9 min
- Trophy Bluegill Management: Who’s the Real Expert?Bluegill · 3 min
- Growing Trophy Bass in Private Lakes in Tennessee: Nature’s Habitat for FishBass · 2 min
- Managing Private Lakes in Tennessee for Trophy Bass: We Work with Your BudgetBass · 5 min
- Managing Private Lakes in Nashville for Trophy Bass and Bluegill: Region-Specific Knowledge is KeyBluegill · 5 min
- Lake and Pond Construction Tennessee: How Important is Fish Knowledge?Construction · 4 min
- Trophy Bass in Private Lakes in Franklin, Tennessee: The Truth about Florida BassBass · 3 min
- Managing Private Lakes in Nashville: Beware Local Companies that Aren’t LocalManagement · 2 min
- Managing Private Lakes in Tennessee for Trophy Bass: Choose ResultsBass · 8 min
- Managing Private Lakes in Williamson County for Trophy Bass and Bluegill: Ask to See Their Success StoriesBluegill · 6 min
- Beware Northern Companies that Will Say Anything to Get Your MoneyManagement · 4 min
- Florida bass: the Importance of GeneticsBass · 5 min
- Is It Really Possible to Consistently Grow Trophy Fish in Private Lakes and Ponds?Management · 3 min
- Female-Only Largemouth Ponds: Great in TheoryBass · 11 min
- Which Is More Important, Integrity or Company Size?Management · 8 min
2024
2023
2021
- F1 bass: Beware Frankenstein bassBass · 2 min
- F1 largemouth bass: Beware Snake-Oil Fish SellersBass · 3 min
- F1 largemouth or Florida bass: Which Fish Is Better for Your Pond?Bass · 6 min
- Grow Four-pound Bluegill in Your Alabama PondBluegill · 2 min
- Stocking Your Tennessee Pond: Choose a Company with IntegrityStocking · 3 min
- Lake Management: Do You Want a Swimming Pool or a Fish Ecosystem?Management · 4 min
- Another Giant Hand-painted BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- When Is a 1.8-lb. Bluegill Small?Bluegill · 2 min
- Multiple 2-pounders in One DayTrips and catches · 1 min
- Guide Party from MichiganTrips and catches · 1 min
- F1s: Beware Armchair Quarterbacks and Dishonest HatcheriesBass · 5 min
- A Great Bluegill Pond Getting BetterBluegill · 1 min
2020
2019
- Mystery Solved, Or: Three in Five MonthsBluegill · 6 min
- Fish Pricing for Pond StockingStocking · 8 min
- Big Hand-Painted BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Choosing a Lake Management Company in Tennessee: Do They Know Our Waters?Management · 5 min
- Grass carp and Their Impact on Bluegill or, How to Have Smaller BassBluegill · 5 min
- Smallmouth Bass in Alabama PondsBass · 2 min
- Tiger MuskellungeBass · 1 min
- Mississippi Grass ShrimpStocking · 1 min
- CrayfishStocking · 1 min
- Golden ShinersStocking · 1 min
- Smallmouth BassBass · 1 min
- Florida BassBass · 1 min
- Fathead MinnowsStocking · 1 min
- Redear SunfishBluegill · 1 min
- Coppernose BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Hand-Painted BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Expert Pond Stocking in Tennessee, Part IIStocking · 1 min
- Expert Pond Stocking in TennesseeStocking · 2 min
- Tennessee Pond Stocking: the Importance of IntegrityStocking · 4 min
- Pond Management Tennessee: A Simple Test to Help You Hire the Right CompanyManagement · 2 min
- Pond Stocking Tennessee: Not All Fish Stockers Are Created EqualStocking · 4 min
- Pond Management Tennessee: Beware False AdvertisingManagement · 4 min
- Giant from a Different PondTrips and catches · 1 min
- Three ounces shy...Trips and catches · 1 min
- A Good Day for Giant BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Why You Need an Electrofishing SurveyManagement · 6 min
- Big Hand-painted Bluegill from GeorgiaBluegill · 1 min
- Another Very Big Bass from a Small PondBass · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Biggest Hand-paint YetBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: An Average Day for Trophy BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: A Pond Primed to Grow Giant BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Giant Bass from a Small PondBass · 2 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Crappie in PondsManagement · 2 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: the Truth about Coppernose Bluegill, part 2Bluegill · 1 min
2018
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Aquatic Plants: the Engine for Your Pond’s Natural Food WebManagement · 3 min
- Tennessee Lake and Tennessee Pond Management: grass shrimpStocking · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake and Pond Management: A couple decent coppernose bluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management: More Big BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Big Hand-painted BluegillBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: The Benefits of Feeding through the WinterManagement · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management: the Truth about F1 Largemouth bassBass · 3 min
- Tennessee Lake Management: Beware Companies that Care More about Their Bottom Line than Your PondManagement · 3 min
- Tennessee Lake Management: Are You Getting the Most out of Your Lake?Management · 3 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Two Small Ponds on One PropertyManagement · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: No photo, but...Management · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: the Truth about Artificial Fish HabitatManagement · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake and Tennessee Pond Management: the Difference Real Management MakesManagement · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake and Tennessee Pond Management: Beware Deceptive AdvertisingManagement · 2 min
- Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky Lake Management and Pond Management: Hand-Painted Bluegill GrowthBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: the Truth About Tilapia and Trophy-Largemouth PondsBass · 4 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: A Bluegill Day for the AgesBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Big BassBass · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: The Real Premiere Bluegill CompanyBluegill · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: There's Us, and Then There's Everyone ElseManagement · 1 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Theory versus Fact, or What Size Largemouth to Harvest from your Trophy-Bluegill PondBluegill · 5 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Florida bass, part IIBass · 5 min
- Tennessee Lake Management and Tennessee Pond Management: Florida bassBass · 6 min
- Tennessee Lake and Pond Management: Smallmouth bassBass · 3 min
- Tennessee Lake and Pond Management: the Coming RevolutionManagement · 2 min
- Tennessee Pond Management: Thoughts on Qualifications, Part IIManagement · 2 min
- Tennessee Lake and Pond Management: How Important is Experience?Management · 8 min
- Tennessee Lake and Pond Management: the Importance of DetailsManagement · 5 min
2017
- Tennessee Pond Management: Grass Carp: the Rest of the StoryWeeds and water · 8 min
- Think All Lake Management Companies Are Alike?Management · 2 min
- Hand-painted photoBluegill · 1 min
- A recent hand-painted photoBluegill · 1 min
- Want to Grow Monster Bluegill in Kentucky? Stock Hand-Painteds!Bluegill · 4 min
- Repairing Tennessee Lakes and Ponds: Beware the PolymersConstruction · 2 min
- Don't Pay This Kentucky Pond Company a DepositConstruction · 3 min
- Another hand-painted bluegill videoBluegill · 1 min
2016
- Growing Trophy Bluegill: It's in the DetailsBluegill · 9 min
- Tennessee Pond Stocking: Thirty Minutes that Can Impact the Next Forty YearsStocking · 5 min
- Stocking and Managing Tennessee Ponds: Avoid DeceptionStocking · 6 min
- Hand-painteds!Bluegill · 1 min
- hand-painted photosBluegill · 1 min
- A couple thoughts on qualificationsManagement · 5 min
- Video of hand-painted bluegill feedingBluegill · 1 min
- Hand-painted bluegill growth ratesBluegill · 4 min
2015
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