I've got a SMB/YP/RES pond tha'ts about 2 years into the game and have had good results. 11" SMB, etc.

I supplementally feed with my Texas Feeder, and was going to add some HSB to the equation for some fishing fun. Talked with my fish guy and he recommended against it. Said they're very subject to stress and he's had issues getting them to survive even the trip TO the pond.

I'm in NE Ohio and he recommended a couple of pike or tiger musky just for fun.

I don't want to get overrun with them, but he said he's had good success with them. Said if you don't like them, fish them out and leave them out.

I am not overly fond of CC in the pond, but wondered if anyone has a predatory fish they use other than LMB.

I have no issues with HSB in Western PA.

I would absolutely add a few to your 2.5 acre pond.

In the high heat of summer, they can fight themselves into distress when being caught, but if you take your time and nurse them back, it's usually all good.

roy:

First off, howdy and welcome.

I had HSB in a 2/3 acre (9 feet maximum depth) pond in Licking County for several years with no problems other than 1) introducing them into a pond with and established LMB population and 2) they died when all the other big fish were killed in a major fish kill. While warm weather stress on HSB can be a problem down South (avoided by not fishing for them in hot weather/water, or using bottled oxygen and a diffuser in a recovery tank like George Glazener did), I don't think you would have too many problems being a little North of me. SMB predation on new HSB should not be as bad as LMB were for me.

For other controlled number predator options, Walleyes are another species you could use. FWIW, I like eating Walleyes but not so much with HSB. Wipers are a blast to catch, though, and will grow fast and large when fed a high protein fish feed. I lost a couple of 8 pounders in that fish kill.

Theo,
I'm not far from you at all. Just north of Danville.

I never know if I'm getting salesman speak from the fish guy or legit advice. People from his company have attempted to sell me fish more than give me what I needed. Frustrating.

I can get my walleye on Erie, but thought a couple pike or musky cruising around would be fun.

Fish guy said when he tried to raise them, he was losing too many fish by flipping on the lights when it was dark and sending them into shock, slamming the lid on the fish tanks, etc...

Just not sure which is best. HSB would be a blast to catch when they get big.

Something to consider - any Esox will be capable of eating much larger fish than HSB of the same size.

Saugeye could possibly be a good idea as well and may even open up the ability to add BG to your mix. From the sound of Snipe's research, they seem to be aggressively targeting that small sunfish shape.

As for esox, I love the idea because I love musky, but Theo is very correct in their ability to eat much larger fish than say a HSB of similar size. I'd lean towards Tigers over pike as I'd be concerned about pike reproduction. Adding Tigers in would also make me evaluate the present forage for them and you might need a little more prolific of a spawner like BG in the mix. Which circles back to Saugeye as well. IF you decide to add BG into the mix as well because you really want esox, I'd think about adding a few saugeye at some point as well if the esox cannot keep up with BG recruitment. A lot of the nice OH musky lakes seem to be stocked at 1 musky/acre. I wouldn't go more than 2 tigers to begin with.

HSB and walleye would be the "safest" adds currently with what is in your pond as these are pretty commonly used with YP/RES/SMB. Saugeye could be a bit of wildcard depending how aggressive and how much of an appetite they turn out to have. Esox would be the biggest wild card as I would guess it would most definitely cause you to reevaluate your forage base with the eventual ability to eat your biggest YP and RES.

Lots of options, I tend to err on the side of being more cautious.

Drew, I agree with your caution about stocking too numerous tiger muskie. They are a great fish, but you don't want a lot. At least, like HSB, you don't have to fear reproduction.

My enthusiasm stems from experience in a 22 acre private lake in central Ohio. They stocked 25 tigers to control the too numerous bass, and for years we got a thrill out of seeing & even hooking them. I know they like bass, because I got one to inhale a 12 inch LMB. They topped out at 38 to 40 inches, but do get even bigger.

I will soon (sometime this week) have 14 years of research that I can post that was conducted on SAE (in KS).
Here's the bottom line on SAE vs WAE.. WAE seldom ever achieve 100% RW in a pond setting that does NOT have shad present where SAE do well without shad, prefer sunfish and grow much faster than WAE, handle higher temp, lower DO and survive better than WAE in less than ideal conditions.
SAE also have a slightly smaller gape than a WAE of the same length but most folks catching SAE (and eating them) didn't know they were not WAE.
I add a couple SAE to my pond every year and a couple of WAE, it's very easy to see what happens in 1 full year because the SAE are longer, maybe 4-5" longer in 2 years and my BG are controlled in an acceptable number.