Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations YP management in SMB pond

How old is the pond? Built summer of 2012
When was it stocked and with how many & what size fish added each time? Best Guess
2013: 5lbs FHM
2014: 25 3-4” RES, 25 6-7” YP, 25 3” GSH, 12 3-4” LCS
2015: 100 3-4” YP, 100 papershell crayfish
2016: 10 6-7” SMB
2017 10 6-7” SMB
What was the neighbor using for bait? What size hook? How long did he fish? Using “bee worms” and he and his wife fished an hour or two through multiple holes targeting being just off the bottom (water very clear). Don't know hook size.
What part and what depth was he fishing in the pond? Depth of the bait and depth of water under the ice hole?
Could not find deep hole but fished in 7-10’ of water with bait a foot off bottom. Fished from dam back to other side of the pond and near and far from banks. Said that when he first lowered just a lead weight to determine depth, something large took it sideways (must have had large mouth (SMB?).
Maximum depth of the pond? Originally a 14-16’ hole with most of the bottom depth 8-10 feet sloping up to edges (plenty of deep water but also good plant life in shallows (lily pads and curly-leaf pondweed + lots of emergent plants).
"Catching 1/2 dozen small perch" What length range is a 'small perch'? 6” and not yet flattening out (very fusiform).
Did neighbor catch any large shiners? Yes – A couple 6"
Have the SMbass spawned? I have not seen any small SMB but I originally placed rock structures. Afraid all the YP and GSH are stealing eggs.
How many times (springs) have the perch spawned? Saw egg ribbons in 2015 and 2016 but not 2017
Do you feed pellets? How many pounds each year so far? No feeding
What do you see eating the pellets? Actually threw some out once in 2016 but nothing came.
What is the usual / most common water clarity during summer and now mid-winter? Very Very clear now but maybe 18” to 30 inches otherwise.
You say "I saw/see many small fish (1-3") along the banks..." Are these all minnows / shiners? I have seen FHM, GSH, and YP. There may be other fish but nothing that has the classic sunfish bass shape. Small fish have a lot of plant cover.

Comment/question: Instead of HSB, maybe add another 10 SMB since a breeding population is what I want? Maybe just wait and see? Things may change if the snow-covered ice holds. This pond is far from electric. Hope to add winter aeration to my oldest pond this year.