My situation may not only be different due to being up north, but also due to the amount of cover I have in the form of plants. This includes a shallow cove filled with water lilies. My neighbor also removes 50-60 eating size BG each year and has begun to also keep and eat the small bass. Herons, kingfishers, and mink help with the culling as well. A friend has a very small (less than 1/4 acre) plant-rich pond which has some lunker LMB in it as well. The key may be sufficient cover for the forage fish, but that is just a guess? Diverse habitat may help in stabilizing smaller ponds.