Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations genetic differences/potential?

Pardon my uneducated answer...

What size "store bought" fish are you contemplating? Normally state-supplied "your taxes paid for 'em" (can't really say "free") fish are fingerlings of small size. Ohio DNR hasn't stocked private waters for some time; I believe many or most of their public water stockings are made with grain of rice sized babies. If that's what you could get from GA DNR, privately obtained larger stockers would probably put you a couple years (or more) farther ahead from the start.

Have you considered taking what you can get from DNR and adding/tweaking from a private hatchery? This might be one way to lower costs, stock with bass (and forage fish) of different genetic backgrounds, and still reach your ponds maximum 5 year potential.