The timing of stocking bass is highly dependent on what part of the country you are in... The far south, giving the BG a year jump start is a smart move. In the north, giving the bass a year jump start is a smart move. The bass simply gorge themselves on FHM until the BG are stocked the following year... In the middle, well I'd say stock the BG in the spring and bass in the fall.
As far as pure forage fish such as FHM, BNM, LCS, SFS, etc etc... I would put them in a year before the bass. Most people just can't wait that long though. For example, I am currently stocking a 0.4 acre pond with purely forage fish. I stocked BNM, SFS and BKF last spring, FHM, GSH, LCS and grass shrimp this spring. Next spring I will stock RES. The following spring I will finally put my predators in, SMB, YP and HSB. I hope the patience pays off and many of the forage fish sustain self reproducing populations as I will not be feeding these feed and they will rely solely on a natural food wed.
