Chain pickerel like all pike family, are ambush predators. They would do well with some vegetation, lily pads, sunken longs, etc. near shore to hide in to ambush prey. In addition, they do not build nests but lay their eggs on vegetation and brush in the early spring to keep eggs from falling to bottom and getting smothered in mud (similar to yellow perch). If you want reproduction, you would need to make sure to have some of these marshy or vegetated areas (or throw some dead shrubs or branches in shallow areas. I would think bluegill would work but not preferred prey as they are too wide to swallow as they (bluegill) get older and then bluegill could become overpopulated. Pickerel cannot take as large prey as Largemouth bass. Yellow perch plus golden shiners would be good forage as they are thinner - maybe even green sunfish.
This pond would be a cool idea. I have tried to get chain pickerel established in my Uncle's pond that already has bluegill and Largemouth bass with no luck as the bass would beat them down and his pond had minimal vegetation for pickerel to hide in. Bass will easily eat many small chain pickerel as they are so long and thin. Since you are starting from scratch, it should be easy - forage first then pickerel. Just don't add Largemouth bass. I wonder if smallmouth would work well with them?. I don't know any hatcheries that sell chain pickerel. I think you need to get them from other lakes.
