Originally posted by dave in el dorado ca: ...whatever you stock will evolve, you'll have a growth period with not much action, then a renaissance where everything is awesome, and then a decline into mediocrity. this process may span 5, 6, 7, maybe 8 years, longer in a larger pond.
at some point, say 9 or 10 years down the road, i'll bet you a dime corrective management will be a necessity to bring the pond back in balance no matter what was initially stocked
This matches well with the model I've observed in watching dozens of ponds that were allowed to evolve without management.
Fish such as RES, SMB and HSB are extremely unlikely to become management headaches. RES and SMB because of low fecundity and HSB because of virtual sterility.
I think if you like these fish you should stock them. If you add LMB later you can quickly subdue numbers of these fish if necessary.
Your pond will thrive, as most new ponds do, and at that point you will be so comfortable with management issues that it should be a matter of routine to reset the pond with harvest strategies.
YP are the fish that I would completely defer to Mr. Cody. I love them, and think they would survive in your pond, but they are probably a wild card of sorts.
BG will probably overpopulate in the absence of LMB. They almost certainly won't overpopulate however if you have a LMB community that sees limited harvest. I think maybe stock both or neither. If you're not sure, then stock neither because they are easy to acquire later and can be added in.
My rule of thumb says: It's easier to stock fish than to unstock them. Don't add fish that you are unsure of.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
