First time here and I have spent the last couple of days browsing the forum, but I still have some questions. My dad has 40 acres with a pond about 1-1.5 acres that has had some levee damage that I am currently repairing. Max depth is about 6 feet and prob averages 3 feet I would guess. I am also located in NE Mississippi. There are some bass and bream in the pond, but very few. I am moving onto the property and want to start managing the pond. It is surrounded by woods, but I am clearing the trees off the levee.

I am wanting to stock the pond for LMB and some variety of bluegill. I would like to stock the pond with some form of shad or minnows this fall, but I wanted to see if you all think I should wait till the spring? Will 1000 be enough to start with? How long would you wait before you added LMB and bluegills to the pond? I am also looking into stocking a none obtrusive crayfish variety to the pond.