IF PS aren't available I'd just double the number of RES and I would add the larger (over 7") YP because you'd have a greater change of adding to the females in the pond. Typically female YP are larger than males, but Bill Cody knows more about YP than I do, I'd be interested in hearing what he says.

Will the YP and SMB be feed trained fish?

While PS are a pretty fish, when stocked with RES they tend to act more like Bluegills than RES, and there have been instances (per Dave Willis) of PS overpopulating and stunting in a SMB only pond. PS wont' grow as large as RES.

Another note on the RES. I don't know where the pond is located in the "Midwest". Northern Illinois and Northern Indiana is about the upper limit where RES can live due to the colder winters. Any further North and it's PS only. I know (and have seen) PS/BG hybrids, but never seen a PS/RES hybrid. A local lake here has PS/RES and BG in it, but the predominate fish are BG, then RES and lastly PS. PS are not colony spawners like BG/RES.


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3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).