I have a 1.43 acre pond that was recently drained and dredged. It has filled up again, and in November 2006 I stocked it with 1500 bream, expecting to stock it with bass in March.

Now I find out that my wife and a neighbor are more interested in having a duck pond than a fish pond, and lament the scene each spring when baby ducks would disappear under the surface, the meal for a hungry bass.

I bought the basic pond management book (and although I don't have it in front of me at the moment), I think that I am pretty close to the dividing line between catfish and bass (small pond, somewhat cloudy water (9"-12" with a secchi disk)).

I guess I am wondering what my options are if I decide not to stock bass. Would catfish go for the ducklings and cygnets too? (Yep we have two black swans that will breed in a year or two.) I assume that we still need a predator for general pond health, but am wondering if I have an option for something that would eat the bream and not the small waterfowl...

And if I go for catfish, is it too late to stock fingerlings ? Would I have to stock with older fish ? Thanks for the help everyone (as always).