Don't forget that 4Corners is from CO and has different climate and water quality that your pond in MO.

No current established fish in your pond suggests the pond has periodic fish kills due to severe sags in dissolved oxygen(DO). High amounts of dead bottom muck and autumn leaf litter causes a large DO loss at various times during the winter and summer. Be prepared for those events to happen. It is saddening to work and create a nice fishery and then have a DO loss ruin all your efforts. This is why a pond rebuilding and maybe a down sizing to 0.3 to 0.5 ac at lower cost is worthwhile for old ponds with periodic poor water quality events.

I would do as 4Corners suggests and stock the smaller BG (200-300) this fall and try and locate a nearby fish farm to get at least 4-12 larger BG (4"-7") that will reproduce for you next May-June. If you can't find a local fish farm, I am sure if you stop at any local farm pond and just ask the owner if you can fish, collect and buy about 6-10 of his adult bluegill - almost every pond owner will be very glad to help you for your project. The hardest part of all this IMO will be mustering up the nerve to just stop and ask. Pond owners like to help other pond owners! As homework, make sure that you know how to correctly identify types of BG, hybrid BG (HBG) , green sunfish,, warmouth so you get pure stain BG from a local pond, if your goal is having pure strain standard BG.


Once you see BG on the nest then ASAP buy some fingerling or small bass at least 30-60 or even 100. IMO I would omit CC unless you really like catching, cleaning and eating CC. Every CC basically takes the place in biomass and predatory ability of one bass. Please return and keep us updated about your pond project. We love hearing pond stories.