Gents:
Most formulas I see for determining the amount of fish to stock use the surface area of the body of water. My question is: does the average depth of the water make any difference in the amount of fish a lake can sustain or is it the surface area that is important. For example, if I have two one-acre ponds, one with an average depth of 6 feet (maximum depth of 15 feet) and the other with an average depth of 12 feet (maximum depth of 25 feet), will the deeper pond support more lbs of fish? If not, does the additional depth add any value (besides taking more years to silt in) to the fishery?
Appreciate your input.

I believe the stocking rates are for non-aerated ponds that regardless of depth will only have a few feet of survivable water for the fish to live in once the thermocline has established in the mid spring and especially the heat of summer. Oxygen will quickly be depleted below the thermocline rendering that water useless for fish until the fall turnover...then if the pond ices over (it will in Mo) the upper water is too cold for the fish and they stay deeper where the water is warmer. The water below the thermocline become anoxic and even toxic with high levels of hydrogen sulfide.

Yes, depth matters There needs to be enough deep water for fish to survive the winter ice cover...The extra volume holds the extra oxygen for cloudy days and snow cover on the ice that stops plant plant life from producing oxygen.

If you aerate a pond with a quality, properly sized, bottom diffused system, the entire water volume becomes usable year round. Winter aeration is done much shallower water and intended to keep ice from forming rather than mixing the entire pond's water volume, destroying the thermocline and oxygenating the water from top to bottom.

Stock according to surface acres and the fish will fill your ponds total carrying capacity quickly according to the average survivable water volume, water quality, fertility, food supply, biological factors and a host of other variables.

Jack... Give it up man. Where's a moderator when ya need one? Oh wait, they're all at the PB Conference!