Frankly it doesn't seem like you have a problem to me, nvcdl. Ponds are always in ebb/flo or state-of-flux, and you have nice crappie.
Before you kill off too much vegetation you might want to read these recommendations for a crappie pond:
https://mdc.mo.gov/property/pond-stream-care/ponds-fish-frog-management/crappie-small-ponds