Fishfrank :

You are starting a wonderful trip to the world of pond management. Here are a couple of ideas.

One subscribe to Pondboss. It will help with not only the pond but with other matters around the farm.

Two go online and look at the Texas Cooperative Extension Service publication called {I think} Managing Recreational Fish Ponds . It has lots of good basic info.

Three on your pond I agree with ML and Greg and others , with work you can do what you described. You will need to watch the carrying capicity of the pond. It will only support so many fish without problems. If you want to take out 20-40 8-10in. bass a year as well as deal with their offspring you can . If you don't want to do that and want to put that portion of the ponds capicity to other use {larger but fewer bass} you may want to consider only putting in female bass . Your pond will then be a put and take fishery for bass. If you are going to manage the pond extensivly as you indicate then a female bass only pond is an option. I bet Bob Lusk can help you find the right number of 6-8 inch female bass when the pond is ready. This option will not change the way you stock and manage the BG/fatheads/catfish part of the equation. Good luck and let us know what happens. ewest