Rhino welcome to PondBoss.
Sounds like to me you are being outside of the norm and being patient with fish stocking. I will basically second what Omaha says. I am not an experienced pond meister. I have been an expert on buying fish and turning them loose, but have not had time to come to fruition on the success of my stocking.
As far as the GSH are concerned get them in now. The FHM and GSH without predators are going to reproduce like nothing you've ever seen.
I have a small pond that I threw 10 lbs of fatheads and 10 lbs of shiners in. I put them in in June( approx. a 3/4 acre pond). I would occasionally throw some cheap feed out, and never saw them feed. Maybe once in a while I would see some feeding after a couple of months. The following year wow.there were more freakin minnows than I could believe.
I believe it was Bill Cody said in reference to abundant breeders in small impoundments, that your pond will be at capacity within 2 years. I agree with him. Get the shiners in now, and I would say you could probably add the sunfishes this coming fall if you chose.
Diligently check prices in relationship to size/ season.You can run across some wonderful buys, especially in dryer years, as people are not stocking because their ponds are drying up.Last fall I got some extraordinary YP. I read between the lines and the YP suppliers had a glut of YP due to the drought.I ordered 4-6" YP at $1.25, and got alot of that size, but also a bunch of YP 8-9-10" long.Many times when buying springtime fish, you are buying last years leftovers. Like fried rice at the chinese buffet.Just check with suppliers early in the season. As far as ratios of bass/bluegill stocking I can only parrot what others have said on here.
IMO if you're not into catfish, wise decision on not installing them. I have some in my bigger pond, and try to get them eradicated through angling. Some are pretty fair size, and believe I witnessed predation by CC of my fingerling WE's.
That's also something to think about with ol Mr Large Mouth Bass. He will be the king of the jungle.
Just wanting to add this. You're pond is a blank canvas, and it's so easy to get fish in and difficult to get them out. I envy your current situation personally, and I am presently living vicariously through you and your venture. That is why I am typing this, and hope I do not come across as trying to tell you what to do with your pond.
I dont know how dead set you are at throwing the LMB into your water,but in my opinion, it seems as if with the curiosity about the WE and YP, that you are being inclined to think outside of the box.
I see the LMB being a bit of a limiting factor of the success of the other out of the box species. Ever think about the WE,YP, maybe Small mouth and Hybrid stripers? Remember you can always put the LMB in at anytime if you become discouraged with the other formulas.
I can only say thats what I would love to do, but I dont have the nads to drain my pond and start over.
Just some thoughts and good luck sir!
