tyler, I don't feel like you have to go back to square one, and truly, you may find satisfaction in whatever mix you end up trying.

If you are looking for some 'most dependable' things to do, then fathead minnows and perhaps some of the other minnows that Omaha mentioned are all good towards your goals with no real down sides.

Regarding the swimming with bluegills and their biting people, I've never experienced it, yet I don't spend a lot of time swimming in my ponds.

Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."