tanninbruce, catfish are a true predator fish, and they mostly eat other fish, so they will compete with whatever other predators you decide to put in. However, they do have a niche in the overall scheme if you want them.

As far as fishing your lake to see what is in there, I strongly suggest doing another few all day fishing trips using many types of live bait such as shiners, minnows, crayfish, maggots, worms, waxworms, etc. Fish at all depths also.

You have a nice sized pond, but proceeding with any stocking plan without knowing what you have in there has many risks against acheiving your overall goals (I don't know if you've established your goals for this pond).

Let's keep talking.


Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."