Be cautious about the RES that you have in the pond. Catch one or two soon ASAP and show us a picture. I hope you do not have green sunfish(GSF). GSF hav some orange rose color on the gill flap and GSF are very tolerant of low DO. We can verify using pictures.

It is good that LMB and CC are absent. Fingers crossed for this.

Jones Fish – I have been familiar with their OH based operation for over 34 years. We are both members of Ohio Aquaculture Assoc. IMO it will be very doubtful Jones will have two sizes of SBS at their KY branch for their spring fish sale days. Branch fish sales for fish are hauled in from the home office and IMO fish desired are sometimes marginally available for custom orders. Often they have just basic fish at fish sale days. Jones Branch - Louisville KY April 15, May 20 10am-2pm,
FIRST - Verify they will have SBS. Maybe will not even be available? Very likely they will only have one size – if you are lucky all the fish you want will be available and as smallest ones. Contact them for sure in late March / early April for details of what you want and what they plan to have available. What they plan is not always a reality.

IMO do your best to buy the SBS at the April 15th sale. Fish always haul and handle better in cooler water. May 20 is IMO getting late and more risky for hauling fish in KY.

AnthonyT - “I'll probably go with just HSB for the predator. Do I stock them the following spring after the SBS or in the fall to give the SBS a chance to get big enough to not be eaten.

Can a 6-8" HBS eat a 3" SBS?” No.

Very doubtful you will even be able to get 5”-7” HSB from Jones on April 15. Definitely do not worry about their 5”-7” HSB eating your 2”-3” SBS. HSB have a small mouth and 5”-7” HSB will not eat 2” SBS especially if you are feeding pellets to help them fill their bellies. One thing you could do is buy 2-3 lbs of FHM when you get the SBS. FHM will strongly reduce the chances of HSB eating the smallest SBS that Jones sells. SBS in Apr-May will all be last year’s hatch of fish.

I would stock HSB as soon as you can get them. Jones may not have them on April 15 AND they if they have any,,, I think it will be only one size. Stock whatever you can get on April 15. Worst case for you Jones will only have HSB and no SBS. Bad on their part as fish sellers; especially if you have preordered your fish for Apr 15. Remember KY is their banch and not the main office with fish holding ponds.

If Jones has just 3”-4” HSB, which is very likely the available size, then I highly suggest you buy a few extra because this smaller size VERY often has survival problems. If you are lucky enough for all to survive then remove an appropriate number next summer when they are 12”-15” as dinner guests. They grow fast and expect those stockers of 3”-4” to be 10-11” by Fall.

ONE IMPORTANT NOTE. It is very common to haul and hold HSB in SALTY water. Be sure to ask Jones when you pick up HSB if the HSB are hauled and bagged in salty water. If yes, then when home be sure to salt dilute - temper them by incrementally slowly adding your pond water to the transport bag for 20 - 30 min before placing them in your pond. Small HSB are “touchy” and temperamental during movement, hauling, handling, and stocking. The smaller they are the more “touchy” they are. Just because they swim away does not mean survival during the first 3 weeks Lots of experience with this.

Ask Jones when you call if you can buy some of their small fish food in less than a whole bag. IF not and IMO do NOT buy a whole 40 lb bag of fish food. It will tend to mold before you use all 40 lbs. Your spring stocking numbers will only eat about 20 lbs of food all this year. Next year maybe buy a whole 40 LB bag of food. If Jones will not sell less than a whole bag,, I can proactively send you enough appropriate amount of starter food to get your low number of fish growing as soon as they are stocked. Use PB Private Messaging. As they grow,,,,, ideally they should eat larger pellets for more growth efficiency. So by the end of summer they could / should be eating ¼” pellets, for sure 3/16” pellets.