Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Starting over on a big pond

I have a 12 to 15 acre pond, about 45 years old and not real deep but good enough. We used to catch a five pound LMB about every other time we fished it. I was feeding the bluegills and they were easy to catch and decent sized. Certain times of the year we'd catch crappie, not large but eating sized. About once a year a channel cat would hit.
Then 2012 hit, very dry year and the water level went way down. Fishing was still decent for most of the year. In 2013 we caught a few nice LMB early in the year but by May they quit biting and strangely never hooked any bluegills, until I caught two in September.
Last year I don't think I got a bite all year. Just nothing. So I guess I have to assume there is nothing left.
What is the best plan of action for starting over and doing it cheap if I don't care how long it takes? Throw in some bluegills and FHM and wait a year or more before adding predators?
Give me your suggestions.

You likely had a significant to major fish kill prior to the noticeable poor catch rate. You are experiencing one of the major problems with having a larger pond - cost to renovate or do anything major to it. Now is a good opportunity to drain it and rework the bottom at least the deep end near the dam. Maybe even consider down sizing it or turning it into two or three ponds.

You can restock it as is but you are delaying the inevitable - full renovation. If you don't deepen the pond expect another fish kill depending on weather conditions. The pond is old so it does have a significant accumulation of bottom muck and a eutrophic condition - aging. Increasing eutrophy over time leads to the likelihood of more frequent DO sags and fish kills both summer and winter. Plan for it to happen.

I will let others advise you about restocking. But first I would do a fairly intensive fish survey to verify what fish remain. I have not doubt the bullheads are still doing very well.

I can't renovate it. It's an Natural Resource District flood control pond so they have jurisdiction over that sort of thing.
I have never (knock wood) caught a bullhead in this pond.