Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Stocking a large body of water?

TBH, I wouldn't cash out just yet.. There's other ways this can happen, it may not be the balancing act that Lusk mentioned but you can still start a fishery.
One thing I would consider is reproduction being inhibited by an out of balance forage population and with this you'll have good growth out of initial predator stock. This can go 2 ways, 1 being stunted LMB because of an overabundance of smaller BG that don't achieve the sizes needed for suitable return. 2 being a case where predators stocked have a large number of BG that stay ahead of them in proper sizes needed but that may be harder to balance than Bob's recommendation.
I see nehunter stating that "had he gone with State recommendations..." I don't deal much with NE biologists or their theories other than Percids so I don't know what they would recommend but I'll suggest an option.
3-5lbs FHM/acre
150-175 3-5" BG/acre
50-60 4-6" LMB/acre spring of next year. In TX those yr 1 fish may be 8-12" which some of those Bass would catch up and start cleaning a few of the smaller original stockers before yrs end but the next year class of BG will be growing fast.
This would be something similar to a recommended stocking in my location but fish don't grow the same here for obvious reasons but I can't help but think you could get a good start with similar numbers.