What is your time line? The "NORMAL" recommendation for West Texas stocking is 1,000 BG, 3 to 4 inch, a couple hundred redear sunfish and 5 to 10 pounds of fathead minnows per acre. Next year, add 3 or 4 inch bass. That assumes no drought and a plentiful supply of forage for the bass. Shad are a good idea but only after you assure that the LMB survived enough to handle them.

Have your water quality texted before proceeding.

My biggest concern, and why I emphasized NORMAL, is that 50 relatively shallow acres, after a rainy year, can shrink pretty quickly leaving an overstocked water hole with too many fish for the available oxygen. When the O2 crashes, fish die and somebody has a big floating mess to deal with. Abilene, like everywhere else in West Texas, is not known for consistent rains. If it were me, and it's not, I would probably go with about 1/2 of the above recommendation. If you learn any new rain dances, let me know. The ones I've used in the past haven't worked out very well.

It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP