I appreciate the feedback and options but want to go back a step or two.
1) Is several days fishing alone enough to make a judgement? I was expecting recomendations of catching, measuring, recording and reporting back. The responses (to date) move on directly to solutions.
About the bass ... yes. But you will find the BG action to pick up as the water warms. They are probably very large.
2) What is the longer/harder solution? I'm not in a rush and enjoy the process as much as the result. Do I cull LMB, add BG if there are no/few resident, do I need to collect more data as I go, etc. I get cutting the knot is easier than untangling but would like help in understanding (at a high level) the work and timeframe of untangling.
The original goal probably conflicts with what you would ultimately achieve through culling. Instituting culling, the 2 to 3lb bass would probably be the exception as opposed to the rule even after many years of culling. Its a small pond with lots of littoral relative to size and LMB spawns will keep the supply of LMB too large to achieve a population dominated by 2 to 3 lb fish. Pond like you have can be fun to own and fish for small LMB and large BG but whether that can meet your expectations doesn't seem plausible given your original post.
I very much liked esshup's ideas with HSB because you could easily grow a population that is predominately the size you are interested in having. And yes culling bass to have 2-3 lb bass isn't as easy as the alternative of starting over. Provided HSB are not illegal in your state, they are a good option for a predator that can be easily managed. If you have no local supplier of advanced fingerlings, they can be purchased as 1.5 - 2" fingerlings very affordably from the source the suppliers would get them from . . . Keo Fish Farm in Arkansas.
