You comment: "I am watching this ecosystem develop, I feel like I should take it slow. I'd almost like to see the FHM spawn some more, and see the frogs actually reproduce. Build that forage food base first. Maybe stock fish next year? Is this a good idea? "
IMO what you are doing is a very good idea. Once you put the bass in,,,,,, ALL the FHM will be gone soon after the first spawn recruitment year class of the bass. With the stocking plan of BG,RES, YP and largemouth, this Fall I would add the fingerling BG, RES and YP. This gets these panfish established and could provide some fry from the some of the early panfish spawn as or when bass are stocked in Spring early summer of 2027.
Because the FHM will be eliminated in 2028 regardless of how many small FHM you now have and by Fall you might want to stock some golden shiners (GSH) in Fall (3-6lbs) or when you stock the LMB. This method will provide small shiner forages for the longer term after the FHM are depleted.
My experiences are RES as their second generation will be a rare catch by anglers unless you have abundant deeper (6-8ft) water structure in multiple groupings of trees called FISH CITIES. Fish cities increase fish production in the water where it is added. Listen to this:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/976324/episodes/3322504-episode-001-fish-habitatsThese fish cities will also strongly benefit the yellow perch who as later generations really struggle to maintain good populations when living with big mouthed LMB and a lack of fish cities or lack of weed bed vegetation areas. YP are a slender bodied panfish and LMB really like selectively eating the juveniles and young perch adults versus those can lid shaped bluegills. GSH will take some of the predatory pressure off the YP while allowing continued great growth of your LMB providing you don't allow the LMB to become over abundant. Slow growth of LMB very often means you have too many bass, and not enough good habitat.
