broncofan:
To get the most out of your project you, your self are going to have to ask a few questions.
First, what do I want to get out of my pond project..with that you are going to need to weigh the costs. It is like any thing else, the best cost more and more money..
Secondly, you need to educate your self on what it takes to achive that goal...there are several links on this sight that will show you the ABC basics to pond management.
From reading your last post, it seems as if you have been throwing alot of different guesses at this problem and not happy with the results.
From all the study and research, I have done, Green sunfish are a hinderance to grow trophy bass. If, you are trying to grow trophy bass, that is. Green sunfish compete with your bass for the same forage. I have never heard of people using Green sunfish to keep Bass population down.
You mention a fertalization program, does your body of water have alot of water shed?? In other words do you have a big creak flowing through the pond?? If so, you need to think again on fertalizing, because you will just wash the fertalizer down the stand pipe.
It could mean that you might have to drain this body of water and start again....
Give us more detail of your overall goals for this pond and we can give you more specific answers to your questions.
By the way:
Red ear sunfish are not really used fo forage they have a different nich in the pond as more of a parasite eater..
Pumpkinseed, spawn alot but do not get that big.
Coppernose, or Blue gill are your best sunfish forage for bass, period.....
