Yeah, one foot of water won't get you far. But if it's even 1/3 full by March, you can safely stock then.
I learned the hay bale trick from TJ via Bob Lusk. I would think smaller bales would be better. You wouldn't want a bunch, because they'll lower the pH of the pond, so for this same reason I would think smaller would be better than bigger, as two small bales probably won't significantly alter the pH.
The automatic feeder will be the best money you ever spent. Make sure to get one that has at least 100-lb capacity for fish food, as you'll need that much food in it if you're only going to be there once a month or so.
