That sounds pretty good to me. Ponds that are newly stocked with a particular species often exhibit a "niche vacuum" effect. There's lots of available forage...invertebrate, vertebrate both that freshly stocked LMB will hammer on for awhile. It seems like subsequent year classes never do quite as well unless managed through harvest. You'd be amazed how many state records are caught that originated from first stockings, accidental stockings or fish that had escaped from other water bodies. I think you're doing fine.

Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.