Weclome to pond ownership. The first thing to do is to get a good feel for what is in the pond. This can be done using many methods and as many as your efforts can allow.
Fishing with hook and line, netting/seining, trapping, &/or electro shock survey (by far the fastest and easiest, but also the mose expensive) are a few common ways to figure out what you have.
If your goal is like mine, to go fishing in it most every weekend, even if it is just for 30 minutes, start there. Great ponds do not always produce great fishing right away so keep that in mind. If the pond fishes to your liking..your done! Maybe? You could start a feeding schedule and see what that does. This can help determine what is in the pond to an extent and is ussually fun for the owner/s. I know I enjoy it.
Once you get a feel for the types of fish and populations of each, then and only then should you try stocking changes.... You could cause changes that you wish you hadn't.
EDIT: Bocomo beat me to the punch, but we pretty much paralleled one another. A good double dose of the same advise never hurt anybody.
Last edited by Quarter Acre; 03/12/20 01:18 PM.
