Is this pond a newly dug or has it been there for awhile, does it have a creek feeding directly into it? If it is an old pond or has a creek feeding directly into it then it may already have fish. Though they may still need to be managed to create a successful recreational fishery
If the pond is new or you know that there are not fish established in it- Then get it stocked(legally) After you get the pond stocked.... do not add any other fish species! What goes into your pond will depend on the pond size, structure, and fertility. Most small ponds typically owned by HOA and individual should only support bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and catfish. Many people then stock personal favorites but that causes the population to become unbalanced and has the potential to ruin the fishery. Crappie can be bad news to small ponds although I have seen small ponds were they have worked, but those ponds were actively managed.
A good tip to continue with a healthy fish population. If the the pond had to be stocked... the fish will be very small at first..... But after a few years -Don't harvest every Bass that is legal size. Harvest ALL Bluegill.... if they are not big enough to eat then throw them in the bushes . Sounds wastefull but in the long run benefits the pond. Bluegill breed like rabbits and easily overpopulate the pond and stunt their own growth and the growth of the other fish as well. And you will have to stock the catfish every year or every other year as they do not breed well in ponds. The babies swim around in tight packed slow moving schools and the Bass gobble them up.
Oh and follow the advice of the pond stocking peoples on what and how much to put in.
hope that helps
