BM- I have not had alot of experience with the shiners because for the most part we do not offer them (my fish experience as you know is limited to the time I have been here at the hatchery), but you are right about the size of the mouth and the need to feed.
When I posted that suggestion I was drawing off the thoughts of an experiment we did with Ken's Hi-Tech Speck (hybrid crappie). Bass were not in the equation, but Ken placed a number (don't have pond size or fish amount in front of me since I am at home) of hybrid crappie in an experimental pond for one year. He continously added minnows (about 5K per month) and was able to grow them from 2" to 14" in one year. Good looking crappie for a one year project.
That of course would not be financially feasible for this hypothetical experiment so your addition would make since. The main point would be establishing the food chain; minnows (and shiners) to crappie to bass. Result; nice crappie and bass with no mosquito larvae around to pester you while fishing!
Deb
