Originally Posted By: Tayten b
Should I get a ton of large golden shiners and stock both ponds cause the bass are so small that 8-12 inch GSH would have a ton of time to reproduce and hopefully provide a better food source for all the bigger fish


Until you can get a better idea of all fish species and sizes, the LAST thing to do right now is to add more fish!

If you are wanting larger Bass, and it sounds like you do, according to your descriptions, you already have an abundance of forage available.

As for your title "Cheap and effective...."...There are very effective ways to manage large bodies of water, yet not many "cheap" ways. A 10 acre pond will cost about 10 times as much as a one acre pond. Most all strategies require record keeping, knowing what you have in the pond, and time! Things don't happen fast!