Cory, welcome to Pond Boss.

Some thoughts:

Structure is OK as long as you don't overdo it and scatter the fish too much.

I like the cypress tree idea.

How much algae do you really have in the summer? Is it a real problem? Three ft. sounds like a pretty good deal for small fish. The small fish and bugs that they eat on like and need the cover as long as it isn't a problem. Some tilapia might help that and provide groceries for all of the fish.

How big are the catfish? You might want to remove some of them. Once they get to 3 or 4 pounds, they are a/the top predator.

Not sure about the finger. Will it wash away?

Creating the deep drop off with rock sides sounds like a cool idea. What will it do for you?

I'd think about the lily pads. Those things can get invasive.

What are conditions of the fish? Assuming bigger bass are your objective, what is their body condition? Is their weight/length ratio good? Go to lakework.com to get a LW ratio chart or look in the archives here. Even more important, what is the forage status? Take some time to determine the predator/prey relationship.

Why are bass hanging out in one place and the groceries in another?

Before doing anything, I would take some time to learn a lot more about the pond. Keep a log of fish caught and observations. This is a real key. A month of fishing might not be enough time to properly understand all of the contributing factors.

It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP Grandpa