I`f I was starting a new pond for LMB, I believe I would with patience start with just fatheads. And wait, until they spawn in mass numbers, maybe place some pvc pipe cut down the middle to help them lay eggs or what ever they do? I have read on this site , that they like stuff like that to spawn in, placed inside the bank. Once they establish then stock with BG/redear. And with patience once they get going stock bass.----I`m no expert but this is what a friend of mine did over 20 years ago and any angler can walk the banks and still see hundreds of minnows all around the banks. I believe the minnows are the key to raising large sunfish and further more larger bass. It is very difficult to establish a fathead population once bass are introduced or even larger sunfish , it will just result in a expensive little snack!
