Mance welcome to the PB forum.

I recommend you call the PB office and order "Basic Pond Management" and a subscription to the mag. Also the upcoming PB convention would be a good place to hear a lot of experts in one place. TX also has a pond mgt. book on line as do some other states.

To answer some of your questions by number.

1. It can be done with some effort.
2. HBG are usually a cross between a BG and a GSF (Green Sunfish) and they have a low reproductive rate. They have a purpose but are not a good source of LMB forage.
3. Unknown but probably a high % of BG.
4. If you have a LMB crowded pond which it may well be then you will need to take out a good many small 10-12in LMB ( 25 pounds per acre would not be unusual).
5. In the piney woods lime is needed depending on the soil every 3-5 years. Get the soil and water tested. Don't plan on starting a fertilizer program until you know the situation as it could be counterproductive.
6. See 4.
7 NA
8. If you have no veg. then taking out a few carp is ok.

You should read a lot here and think about having a base pond assessment done so you will have a baseline to work from.