Don't YP play a similar role in a SMB pond as GSF do in a LMB pond?
Both are a smaller predator with a medium gape that can reproduce quickly, so in large numbers, they would put a lot of pressure on the forage base and YOY..........so you don't lose all that biomass potential by adding another trophic level in the middle?
If I were trying to grow larger SMB (not huge, but larger) in a small BOW, I would consider stocking a variety of reproducing forage fish (or otherwise) with a range in adult sizes and forego the YP because of what you mentioned regarding the conservation of biomass. I believe, not know, but believe that the SMB (or LMB, HSB, etc.) would grow nicely on relatively small forage fishes so long as there was an abundance. Some of my reading here on PB states that the larger the predator, the larger the forage needs to be to grow out to be trophies. This could limit the BOW to merely a big fish producer, but not a trophy fish producer.
Now, if I wanted diversity and potentially larger SMB. Adding the YP would take some room in the pond from the SMB overall biomass, but add to the diversity and allow for some larger meals for the SMB that had trophy potential.
SIDE NOTE: I didn't think feeding and aeration were that appealing when I first started my quest, but at two years in, I have both and am glad I do.
