Pond Boss
Posted By: iowanagofishin size of stockers - 11/10/08 05:40 AM
hi all !!!i stocked 4-5 inch walleyes last fall does anyone know about what size they will be this year
stocked 2-3 inch hybrid gills that are 12 inches long and over 1 lb
sampled those last month what a fight, the thing was taking out drag!!what a hoot!!!

5-6 acre pond in iowa
Posted By: Theo Gallus Re: size of stockers - 11/10/08 01:27 PM
What kinds & amounts of smaller forage did the 'Eyes have to eat?
Posted By: Dave Willis Re: size of stockers - 11/10/08 02:08 PM
Also, what was your stocking rate on the walleyes? Number/acre?
Posted By: Ryan Freeze Re: size of stockers - 11/10/08 02:29 PM
5"-11"
Posted By: dave in el dorado ca Re: size of stockers - 11/10/08 10:07 PM
 Originally Posted By: iowanagofishin
hi all !!!i stocked ..........2-3 inch hybrid gills that are 12 inches long and over 1 lb
sampled those last month what a fight, the thing was taking out drag!!what a hoot!!!.........


i for one refuse to believe you until i see a pic of those hogs.....then i will apologize and tell you what beautiful fish you have \:\)
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 03:50 AM
stocked 200 , with initial stocking of bluegill crappie small mouth bass large mouth bass and channel cats
added another 200 eye last month again 4-5 inchers expect some will become expensive fish food , hoping 40-50 will survive
want several year class of eyes for future fun and good eats
http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj231/GARTON13/?action=view¤t=DSC_0480-1.jpg
here's the baby eyes that went in last month
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 03:53 AM
i wish i was smart enough to post pics , can someone help teach an old fart a new trick
i can however email pics so i suppose i could learn how to post here on the pond boss forum
i take alot of pics of my pond 5-6 acres 32 feet deep out in front of the dam, built in a steep old crick bed
i left alot of timber in the middle for structure
and it also had an existing pond that was overtaken by the new one
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 03:58 AM
have stocked 80lbs of fh minnows over 2 summers
added 300 crawdads, and have many many tadpols=frogs
crappies are 6-8 inches
channels are 3 lbs
am considering hybrid striped bass to control the baby crappies and bluegills probably 30-40 for 5-6 acre pond, they wont spawn, and they get really big!!
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 03:59 AM
so are you saying they will be 11 inches now?
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 04:57 AM
here is a pic of the big gill caught a month ago this fish is a little over a year old

http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj231/GARTON13/?action=view¤t=DSC_0374.jpg

http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj231/GARTON13/?action=view¤t=p3.jpg

the other pic is before full pool see some of the structure



Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 05:22 AM
dave look below i have enclosed pic of big gill apology accepted!!


Posted By: Ryan Freeze Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 01:59 PM
Wow Chris, I'm more impressed by the 12" deck planks, 1/0 hook and 30lb line for bluegill fishing ;\) That doesn't appear to be a typical HBG. Usually there is yellow tipping on the dorsal and anal fins. Do you know what cross it is? Nice health looking fish none the less.

The walleye would be 5"-11" depending on how well they're doing. I think 2" per year is typical for walleye and I think your correct on the expected survival rate of 25%-50% on stockers but those little guys you posted look like they be an easy snack for a 14" LMB.
Posted By: ewest Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 03:09 PM
I do think that is a BG cross based on the fins , gill plate , ear tab , color on ear flap , coloring/pattern on the head area. What % and what cross is a guess but I would say mostly BG and maybe some small % GSF.


Posted By: Theo Gallus Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 04:11 PM
Honestly, based on the gill speckling and a slight red margin to the opercuyle, I'm thinking BG/RES.
Posted By: dave in el dorado ca Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 04:20 PM
stole my thunder theo.....

before i give apologies iowa, lets see her next to a tape ;\)

nice fishy anyways \:\)
Posted By: Ryan Freeze Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 04:32 PM
The red ear tab seems like a sure sign that it's not a GSF cross. If the growth he claims is true, it would be nice to know for sure what the cross is. The supplier should know.

Outside of the coloring, the mouth seems pretty small for a GSF cross too.

Chris, is it possible this is a fish from your original pond and not a 2 year old HBG? You're growth is about twice as fast as the fastest growth I've seen. My 3 year old HBG were 9" were fairly fat due to feeding 46% protein pellets and a buffet of fatheads. It's a GSF BG hybrid. This fish was stocked in March of 2004 at 3", the picture is from April of 2006.





Posted By: Bill Cody Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 10:05 PM
I too do not think that HBG is one yr old, unless maybe it was stocked as a 8" fish. I is very probably a carry over from the old pond or someone else stocked it unknown to the owner.
AS verification what are the sizes of the other "bgill" that you are catching from this pond? Are they all this big, if not then it is probably not one of the recently stocked fish.
Never the less it is a dandy fish.

I suspect there is very little if any GSF in the hybrid based on my experiences with sunfish and due to the coloration and markings. Note the quite pointed pectoral fin. If GSF genes were present the fin would likely be more rounded. Crossing a RES and BG would result in a definate pointed pectoral fin since both parents have pointed pectorals.
Posted By: ewest Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 11:04 PM
I suggest Wisc Fish for an excellent source of info. Now what do you think. That does not look like a RES cross to me. GSF can have a tint on the ear flap.

PSXBG



BGXGSF



PSXGSF



PSXBG



PSXBG




HBG can have pec fins that look like the one in the first post - see the variation in these HBG. I can't say pec fin length is a definite dominate genetic trait of either BG or GSF or RES.











http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=1341&Number=14459#Post14459
Posted By: davatsa Re: size of stockers - 11/11/08 11:15 PM
Neat info, Eric.

That PS x GSF is a beautiful fish!
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/12/08 04:50 AM
i suppose this could be a gill from the origianal pond if its not a hybrid
if this is a hybrid the chances are i put it in the pond
any questions about the percent of what gsf/res can be directed to beemer hatchery in bedford iowa call randy @ 712. 542-7139
he told me these fish grow 6 inches in 6 months and get to 2 lbs
i dont think he would s__t me!!!!!
anyhoot thanks for the info
i'll have more pics in 2 weeks
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/12/08 04:57 AM
thanks fo rthe kind dock comments, have a boatload tied up in this
almost 7500 bucks , mfg by a company in nebraska real happy with it

not sure whay size hook but its only 8 lb test smarty pants!!!!!
Posted By: Ryan Freeze Re: size of stockers - 11/13/08 03:50 PM
Beemers website http://www.beemerfisheries.com/

"Hybrid Bluegill are a cross between two different types of bluegill. This hybrid is the answer to your pond and like stocking problems. Beemer Fisheries specialize in Hybrid Bluegill and have done selective breeding for several years and feel we have the fastest growing Hybrid Bluegill in the U.S. Fast growing, 2" fish gain 3/4 lb. between spring and fall. The Hybrid grows larger than common bluegill, reaching a weight of 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. Stock your pond this spring and catch fish this fall. They eat commercial feed."



"Randy Beemer displaying
two hybrid bluegill fingerlings.
The small one will become the size of the large one in six months."


Something smells a little fishy. The claims seem a bit extraordinary. Is Bruce Condello listening?

Posted By: Theo Gallus Re: size of stockers - 11/13/08 07:03 PM
The large BG on the left doesn't look particularly hybrid IMHO.
Posted By: ewest Re: size of stockers - 11/13/08 09:03 PM
Seems like we have heard this message before. \:o
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/13/08 10:19 PM
imho i still think the fish pictured is a hybrid
i know randy and have been to his hatchery
he will ship 50 or 100 to ya, does somebody have a pond with no fish in it we could do a study!!!!!
Posted By: dave in el dorado ca Re: size of stockers - 11/14/08 01:24 AM
i have to agree w/ theo, that bull on the left looks like pure BG to me.
Posted By: ewest Re: size of stockers - 11/14/08 02:33 AM
HBG are a cross between a GSF and a BG. I have never heard or read any knowledgeable fish guy say or refer to a cross between 2 BG as a HBG. There are 3 sub-species of BG and their offspring even if between sub-species are BG not hybrids. The same holds for LMB - they are Northerns , Florida's and F-1s but not hybrids.

I won't even address the length and weight claims. Even Bruce's hand selected genetic Condello BG don't do that as a population in Neb. Why would I think someone in Iowa ( as cold or colder climate) could do that when Bruce can't.


I do think they are good fish. I just don't think a hatchery with good fish needs to make such comments to sell fish. It makes me wonder as a purchaser when a hatchery says such things if I can really trust what they are telling me.
Posted By: iowanagofishin Re: size of stockers - 11/14/08 05:50 AM
bruce must still be in shock! no posts thwarting this theory?

beemers is within shipping distance to nebraska
i would like to see him do a test to see if randy is full of it!

he is the worlds reknown bluegill guru, i'm just trying to emulate him

thanks to everyones response, i look forward to a lifetime of knowledgefrom the boss!!!
Posted By: Ryan Freeze Re: size of stockers - 11/14/08 02:04 PM
The bluegill x bluegill=hybrid was a first thing set off my BS detector, but I wouldn't crucify him for misuse of terminology but I'm sure a lawyer would. The growth rate he is claiming is reaching into tilapia growth territory in 80 degree water.

What kind of growth is Cecil Baird getting in one year?
© Pond Boss Forum