Yes Tilapia are kind of pricey but they work for certain things. I have not heard of golden shiners ever overpopulating not when bass are around anyway!
With bass and as you put it big bass you almost can't have enough forage fish. The hard thing is going to get your G. Shiners to spawn before they all get ate! If there isn't any habitat in that pond you should consider putting in some stuff for the smaller fish to hide around and spawn around. Remember though the golden shiners are just a "Get me by for a little while thing" What you really want to do is fill that pond up with bluegill, and some redear sunfish. Check out the Habitat forum on here also. This whole forum is FULL of good stuff dude. Just soak it in baby soak it in.
You will answere a lot of your own questions just by reading all the stuff on this site.
If you can get a shock test for 50 bucks !!! SEND THEM MY WAY PLEASE!!!!! That would be something I would do in a heartbeat for that price!!
Good luck bud and keep us posted as to how it goes. You got 3 great looking ponds! Now the fun begins.
