If the pond were swimming with minnows ... there was plenty to eat. If the minnows were sparse, then it would have been a benefit to have stocked larger LMB ... either a little earlier in the season ... or waiting until Spring, IMHO. They say LMB shouldn't be transported below 55F and if you did that ... there may have been some mortality above normal expectations. It's not an easy guess how many are surviving today.

You did not mention how much time you have spent fishing. I would just say this. The average catch rate you should expect (based on Northern strain 40 LMB/ACRE) would be around 1.24 LMB/HR if all survived. But catch rates for individual trips vary a lot. If you have only fished a few times a few minutes each ... not catching an LMB may be a normal expectation. Catch rates in the middle of day may not be as good as evenings ... you get the idea.

So are you fishing with a top water lure? You mentioned LMB not taking from surface. Try something like a rooster tail in Pearl or Chartreuse, use a fairly small one and try to record your catch fishing mornings and evenings, Try to put a 1.5 hours to 2 hrs each trip. Get 4 trips in and then report your findings. If you fin clip each LMB you catch, then you have will have a known population id. Won't tell you how many you have ... but at least you know how many individuals can be counted in the population. Ideally, you would have an ES survey and then could estimate the population from recaptures of those LMB.

You didn't mention your goals. The LMB density suggests a trophy LMB pond but you have not yet started feeding ... If the density is between 30 and 40 LMB/acre ... you should be feeding/fertilizing to grow them at top rates ... especially in a new pond.

It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers