Hey everybody. I'm in Southern Illinois and I'm considering a forage/silt pond on the "shallower than I wish it was"(1'-5') end of my 5 acre pond. My goal is large LMB and I just stocked it w 800 bg/ac and 200 RE/ac and its currently full of fatheads. I get my bass in a month or so.
My questions would be is it worth my time? It would be about 100' upstream. I will build it myself and it wont cost much as it will only be about .5 ac big. Of the 40 acres of shed that comes down this draw roughly 30 of it is tillable acreage (silt loam) and although its usually no-tilled I'm scared over time I will get enough run off to cause some issues.

If I decide to go with it I was wanting to figure a way out to just let the fish flow through a pipe rather than seine. Any issues w this? I figured if I really wanted to flood the big pond w fish I could make it siphon, drain the forage pond down some and maybe really flush a lot of the forage down stream.

And finally, I have been told BG should be my main fish in the forage pond. Does this sound right or should I consider something else?

I'm considering feeding (I did just put a rot basket at the end of the dock... temporary), and in time will aerate but not for a couple years.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks a ton!