In Oklahoma they recommend putting in bluegill, redear, and green sunfish along with catfish (channel cat) first. I know you don't want catfish but you do need something to clean up. After a year or two once the sunfish have been established then you release the eaters (bass) into the pond. Remember the more structure you put in the pond the more fish your pond will support. Fathead minnows are recommended by alot of the fish producers but remember they are in the business of selling fish and fathead minnows are not cheap to keep putting in. On structure you can do a number of things from big cedar trees, pallets(wood or plastic), tires, and the newest thing is a cinder block and poly pipe cut at random lengths then cement them in the two big holes in the cinder block. Good point to these is they don't catch your lures as bad as cedar trees and pallets do. You don't want to put crappie in a pond they are very prone to overpopulation then you get a bunch of palm size fish and nothing else. On structure a good friend of mine that works as a fisheries biologists for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife says when you think you have enough structure in your pond work another two days on putting more structure in the pond. Sorry for the long post but I have done a little research and know alot of people in the Wildlife Conservation business.
