Here's an answer I gave to a man asking how to manage a small club pond for crappie fishing. It may not be an exact fit for what you plan, but it may add some thought to the process.
"Knowing the lifestyles of crappie helps to understand what to expect from them in small waters. They are voracious predators, limited by mouth size. They can't eat each other, because of body shape. They are unpredictable spawners. When they do reproduce, they are first each spring.
Those facts suggests the need for other species, both prey and predators. It also suggests constant attention to population dynamics.
So, as the pond manager, you need to pick the predators and prey which allow crappie to be the marquee fish, while staying on point with population dynamic management.
Keep in mind most ponds will allow a standing crop of top line predators somewhere between 50 & 100 pounds per surface acre, depending on level of management. Plus, it takes somewhere between 4 and 10 pounds of forage fish to grow a pound of predators.
In order to try to manage for maximum crappie production, while minimizing their recruitment, you need to be creative. Stocking 100 black crappie per surface acre, after establishing a fathead minnow population, with golden shiners, might be the best way to start. But, at some point, expect to run short of minnows. The initially stocked crappie will grow well. It's when they begin to reproduce you will have issues. A common suggestion for additional forage fish could be bluegill, but they become a dominant species with crappie, so are not necessarily your best bet.
Then, you must consider fish to eat baby crappie, other than crappie. Look at stocking five or six known male largemouth bass per surface acre. They don't grow large, are active predators, and won't dominate. The down side is if you happen to get a female, by some quirk of nature. Baby bass completely rearranges your fishery. Another idea is to stock a few hybrid stripers for predators. They are fairly easy to get, will readily eat fish food, and will prey heavily on small fish.
You asked me what I would do. First, be sure you know all the consequences you can think of, and be prepared to deal with them.
Here's what I would consider.
Stock 30 pounds of fathead minnnows per surface acre, and feed them. Provide spawning habitat, allow them to reproduce several times, then stock 100-150 black crappie per surface acre. Do these things this spring. Next fall, stock 8 male largemouth bass per surface acre (10-12" long). Or, stock 5 male largemouth bass and 5 8-10" hybrid stripers per surface acre.
Monitor growth rates for two years. Monitor reproduction rates after the first year. Seine sampling two or three times each spring and summer helps keep your fingers on the pulse, ready to make some changes when the need arises. The biggest problem is watching for change, and being poised to make quick alterations, primarily removing baby crappie if and when the predators can't do it.
Here's what to expect. Expect the originally stocked crappie to thrive and grow large. Members will be happy, after the first or second year....then for two or three years beyond that, crappie fishing will be pretty good. Here's the catch. A four acre pond will produce 150-250 catchable size crappie per year. Whenever someone tells me they want crappie, it's not because of the sporting nature of that fish. It's because people want a fish to eat. Even if you choose to feed forage fish, the standing crop of fish which should be removed may not accomplish the goals your members want. Even if there are 200 catchable crappie per year, it won't be wise to harvest that many.
So, there's my spin.
What's really cool is that I could be totally wrong. Figure out what you want to do, go for it, then be sure to let others in on your findings."
