I need a little more clarification on your last paragraph. Are you saying that liming might not be the right thing to do? As far as water clarity, when I checked it in September it was over 40". I currently have way more vegetation in the pond than I want, which may be contributing to the clarity. Many areas are difficult to fish and it is not very appealing to look at. I have added grass carp but may use a herbicide to help out next spring. I am adding all of the structure to offset the vegetation that I plan on removing. I will still have plenty of vegetation in the upper end of the pond where the creek fills the pond.
The are two quotes I'd give you which are among my favorites. One is one my dad didn't coin but said 'all the time'.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
Now my dad would be first to demand that the oil be changed at the due dates, he would follow the recommendations for fertilizing a crop, but when he did something he did it because it was necessary and the only or best prudent option.
Another quote I like the prayer of St Francis.
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference".
There is much I do not know about your particular situation. I do not know how much water the creek carries. But this much I do know. The water properties you have are very largely influenced by the source of water. If there is a lot flushing your pond, then it may be possible that liming effects would be short lived and have less cost/benefit.
The first thing I would remind you is that the pond is already a functioning ecosystem. I would bet it had some massive LMB in its 5th year of age. It's biggest problem is a population structure that is not conducive for growing large LMB. Everything you can identify that falls short of being optimum for production is neither a cause nor a remedy. If on one hand you just want large bass, you are not forced to alter the chemistry of the water, if one the other hand only the maximum number of fish will do, then you must ensure that the chemistry is optimized and remains that way. The question that has yet to be answered is whether it is broken for your goals. IMHO, many advisors over encourage clients to push the limits. Many times the final result after much investment resembles Aesop's dog where all is lost trying to get it all.
This isn't a cash crop that your livelihood depends. The only incentive you have to max out production is to have more fish. It's the only positive. Every other factor is negative. Water quality under many important metrics declines when production is maximized. Things like nighttime DO drawdown, adverse conditions carrying capacity, plankton assemblage, etc are affected. Would your grandkids want to swim in pea soup? Just remember that the fish in your pond have evolved in water that is naturally limited. It's not only what millions of years of evolution has prepared them for it's what they thrive in within the limits of productivity.
From what I've read, doesn't the ph have to be correct for everything to work in harmony?
PH and Hardness need to be at optimum levels to maximize production and fully utilize available nutrients. I don't think that is necessarily harmony. Fish like humans need and appreciate space. For the same reasons you acquired this property, (to get away from competitors and chill), the fish in your pond need space. They will perform better and grow faster under conditions that do not maximize production. It's just that under these conditions there will be fewer fish.
I will finally offer this advice. Fix the root cause of your problem before you try to fix things that are not broken. Once you have the LMB population in a favorable structure you can increase production with less effort and better results. Increasing production prematurely can complicate your population adjustments and encourage a lot LMB reproduction in the early going. A population structure where the majority of your LMB biomass comprised of greater than 3 lbs individuals tends to reduce LMB reproduction significantly. Delaying stimulation of production can be a big help in your goal of modifying population structure. Plus there is the possibility that once you have it there ... its just what you want anyway.
