Theo you are right as to the reason for those rules. Most people were taking way to many LMB out of their ponds for a food source and way to few BG and ended up with a pond full of small fish not really big enough to serve as a food source. Those stocking rules will still work with the right harvest/mgt actions. Plus they were not developed with the benefit of fertilization and supp. feeding in mind.

Most of the FS I know now suggest more BG , additional forage sources (TShad , tilapia , GShiners etc)fertile water , supp. feeding and fewer LMB as that works better with current trends in fish harvest. At least in the south. I am not sure about northern stocking methods as they seem all over the place with great differences. Some say LMB first then BG , some just the opposite. With LMB spawning at 2 rather than 1 and BG tending to get out of control if they have to much of a lead on the predators it is a different situation.