My pond floods/backs-up over once in a while and it does get small fish trapped in lower pools. Depending on management goals, this could be good/bad. If you had a swale ( as deep as deepest part of the pool) that would lead back to the pond from the pools, the fish will go back when water recedes. Of course if this is the case, you wouldn't have pools.
You can always net a good amount out of the pools to move back, if you can beat the herons to it!
I have found tilapia will eat pellets, both Aquamax and Optimal. Actually, when feeding the Optimal I found that catching the tilapia in the fall was easier. They are more likely to grab a worm on the hook since it is similar shapes. I also think the tilapia are much more aggressive than BG at the feeding. Can't say about GSF, I would think they feed more aggressively than BG.
