This has turned out to be a great thread! I'm not sure there will be a final word on the subject of small pond fish stocking and management.
Times are a changin'. More folks are drilling wells to keep their ponds full and installing aeration systems and feeders. High protein feed has become readily available by special order. Feedtrained predators are available from some hatcheries. Different types of fish are being produced for pond stocking, i.e. hybrid stripers, tilapia.
With this evolution in pond and lake management comes an evolution of ideas, concepts, and overall understanding.
More specific information regarding specific combinations of different fish species, stocking rates, and management practices should be available in the future. For now, at least we know a lot about raising big largemouth bass, which seems to be the most difficult persuit. So now if we step back and simplify we should be able to take an increased understanding of fishery management and apply it to objectives that are more realistic and easier to manage.
It seems as if production potential in a small pond is directly related to fertility and/or supplemental feeding. Assuming all other potential problems like drought, nuisance vegetation, oxygen concentrations, etc can be managed, we need to develop stocking and fish management guidelines based on fertility and supplemental feeding.
So a small pond with low fertility and no supplemental feeding is to be stocked, consider baitfish with high reproductive potential and predators with low reproductive potential. Fish stocking rates should be relatively low. Then management of the predator population, by harvest or restocking, can have a direct impact on the baitfish population if things go slightly out of balance for whatever reason.
A small pond with significant natural fertility and no supplemental feeding can be stocked with more fish, but otherwise managed as above.
Now, the ability to feed a high protein fish food on a regular basis opens all kinds of possibilities. Consider all feed-trained predators and no baitfish: largemouth bass, hybrid stripers, channel and blue catfish, hybrid bluegill (GGs), plus northern species options, then rainbow trout in Texas winters. Could treat this scenario as a put and take system, with the need to restock advanced fingerlings to insure survival rates in the future.
Consider baitfish options with predators: bluegill, shiners, fatheads, tilapia, shad, mosquito fish, redear, etc.
Consider novelties like trophy bluegill, trophy tilapia, gar, albino catfish.
No doubt that most folks with a single pond will want as much variety as possible. Since we are gaining a better understanding of fishery management on this forum and through personal experience, I believe the possibilities are huge. Kind of like the number of different ways you can have your whataburger.
