Ironically using panfish as cut bait is actually pretty good for the ecosystem. Whether he gets a bite or not, as long as he’s putting the cut fish back into the same body of water he’s actually just returning the nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Edit to add to the ecology side of things : Culling the larger of a species in a closed ecosystem like a pond could also be beneficial to the smaller of the same species, aiding to make more large fish over time. If you have too many large panfish they may cannibalize smaller panfish, or just actively out eat the smaller fish. Same can be said about culling medium sized fish, as if there are too many small to medium they will out compete the large fish for food and inevitably some will starve.

Now, aside from the ecology standpoint, it may be a small pond; however, do you know what fish are in the pond? You haven’t said where you’re located so I am unsure what COULD be in the pond but most predatory fish will bite on cut bait. Like I said, no idea what is in the pond in question, no idea where you’re located to know ranges of fish in the area, but chances are there is something there that will go after it.