I think GS will do fine. I note that in a recent set of articles in PB by Doc Cornwell on northern ponds the idea was to not use BG and LMB and instead use SMB , FH and GS. I think that is good enough proof to me that it will work. Plus the GS will help eat some BG eggs and fry. What about YP ?

The BG strategy may work but they reproduce a lot and you will still have to watch the balance. Will the RES grow and overwinter (they don't do as well as BG with cold temps)? They seem to do ok at Bruce's in Neb.

Assuming you keep getting water and the pond fills you may want to go ahead and add the GS and be ready to add more FH when you stock the SMB. 450 advanced (6-8in) SMB fingerlings is a lot with only the forage you have now. Those 2in BG and RES will not spawn this year so they will need to survive until next year to be of any help. I would not put in all those BG (400 per acre). I would use more RES , FH and GS and a few YP and only put 100 BG per acre. Are you going to feed? If you want HSB then get them from Bruce and put them in when you put in the SMB and use the same size. I bet you will need that second predator. If so then maybe go to 150 BG per acre. Do you have good spawning structure for SMB nesting? Lets see what others say wrt BG #s.

Will I ever overcome this obsession of visiting the pond twice a day to move that little flag to the new water line? - Not until the pond fills and then you will be watching fish and water quality as well as water levels. There is no end to the obsession. \:\)