I am still trying to decide which fish to stock because I have no personal experience fishing or eating fish. I want the kids to swim in the pond as well as fish. I would love to have family campouts 3-4 times a year and have all my family (kids, nieces and nephews, etc.)fish all day sat and then have a fish fry sat night.
Trout should live all year long. Pond is in the mountains of AZ at 6500 ft.
I do like the idea of recruitment vs having to restock trout every year after harvesting.
I have heard here and from others that BG is very good eating.
Also BG are easy for the little ones to catch.
Any opinions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Trout don't have to be stocked every year. Although my brook trout usually don't live more than 3 or 4 years, rainbows and browns will live 4 or 5 years or more.

If your pond is cold enough for trout it's probable the other species won't reach their potential -- especially bluegills.

So water temps will play a role in the species you select.

Trout are actually easy to catch in ponds.

Also if the water is cold enough for trout it may not be the most comfortable swimming pond. But then again kids can be quite hot blooded.

Very good points Cecil.

What about SMB and YP (along with the RBT), if his pond is cold enough for year-round trout?

how do water temps relate to daytime and night time temps?
We have summer highs averaging 85 and summer lows averaging 55 with lots of sun.
Does anyone know how that affects water temps?

Optimum trout temps of 55 to 65 are still to cold for optimum SMB and YP growth and well being. The optimum temps for my perch in tanks is about 75 F. I think SMB prefer low to mid 70's too. However I have had SMB do just fine in waters up into the 80's.

CaptWho,
I don't think there is a reliable way to predict water temps based upon ambient temps. Other factors come into play, such as (as you mentioned) the amount of sun, altitude, etc. You could get a aquarium thermometer for a few$ and start taking samples daily or weekly and charting the results.

A rough Idea for water temps in the summer would be daytime highs plus night time lows divided by two (average). If the pond stratifies this would be upper level water temps. Seems marginally warm for trout (70F.).

Keep in mind if lower level temps are cooler, as the would be the casev if the pond is stratified, that doesn't mean there is enough oxygen for the trout. Mixing the water column could warm it overall, or actually drop it a few degrees for a period of time. It all depends!

In my small 1/10th acre trout pond, I have found mixing rhe water column 24/7 wirh a diffuser and incoming well water of 51.6 F. doesn't warm the water enough to be an issue. Max temp is about 62 F. a couple of inches below the surface to the max depth of about 10.5 feet. (recently measured it). Mixing 24/7 bring the entire water column up a degree or two.

I am aerating the pond. I will get a thermometer and test starting this weekend. All I've seen is the floating pool thermometers. do they make one easy for testing the bottom or do I just attach a rock to it and wait for it to read?

If you have a way to get out on the water, an indoor/outdoor thermometer that is wired will work too. Weight the "outdoor" probe and mark the wire in 1', 2' or 3' increments.