JR :

There are a lot of options/ways to manage a pond. Tell us about your situation. New pond or old, stocked or not, fertile or not , size , depth , plants or not , will you fert. and or feed , how many people fish it and how many fish will be taken out. There is a lot to consider. I would suggest that a very good resource would be the Pond Boss book on Trophy Bass. Call the PB office and get one. I would not recommend flathead or blue cats If my goal was "trying to raise trophy LMB" in a pond under 40 acres. Those cats are serious predators and when full grown can eat some large LMB , BG, RES , small mammals and a host of other things. The key here is your goals and how best to get there.