I had a 1/2 acre pond and expanded it to a 1 acre pond. It is was previously stocked with channel cat ( approx. 7 years ago ) , I have some large ones 20-24" but haven't seen any small ones . I want to end up with a bass pond, I have done my research , but I don't know if I should pull all the catfish out or not ( From what it looks like when I throw catfish food out I don't have tons of catfish ). I have been setting traps to get rid of the green sunfish that has made the pond their home and have pulled ALOT of them out and will continue to do so . I have been fertilizing my pond and using a secki disk , I have even made Blue Gill spawning beds for the Blue gill I will purchase. I am close to purchasing my blue gill , bass and fat head minnows , but not sure if I need to get rid of the catfish first. ( if they were blue cat I would know that I need to get rid of them , but not sure on the channel cat). I don't mind getting the catfish out , but put a pole in water yesterday for about 3 hours and only came up with 2 bites.

1) Could I just continue to use floating catfish food and hopefully keep them where they won't eat my bluegill and try to keep pulling them out ?

2) Maybe buy extra bluegill and fathead minnows to "offset" what they might consume ?

3) both 1 & 2 ?

THANKS IN ADVANCE