I agree with Bill's comments and these points were the exact reasons I agreeded with Theo. Feeding makes a big difference to growth in small ponds. With it you can carry more BG and LMB to thin them. You just have to watch the water quality.
Bill said "I think regular adult BG have a greater tendency to become hook shy compared to HBG. I have no proof or data, just some of my exeriences to back up this claim."
Here it is :
Evaluation of Male Bluegill X Female Green Sunfish Hybrids for
Stocking Mississippi Farm Ponds
MARTIN W. BRUNSON
H. RANDALL ROBINETTE
The c/f data presented here confirm the aggressiveness
of this hybrid and its vulnerability to angling.
Catch per effort (in terms of weight) for hybrids
in this study, averaged over all baits, was
1,800 g/h. The c/f observed in this study is nearly
triple the maximum catch per hour reported by
Childers and Bennett (1967) for redear x green
sunfish hybrids over a 5-year period in an Illinois
pond. Information on the frequency of recapture
of the hybrids also confirms the aggressive nature
of these fish. Fifty-four of the 296 hybrids caught
(18%) were recaptured by anglers within 5 d, and
21 of those 54 recaptures (39%) were captured a
third time during the 5-d angling period. No comparative
data exist for bluegill, but these data appear
to support the statements of Childers and
Bennett (1967) that some hybrids are less wary
and less likely to learn how to avoid being caught
than their parents.
Catch per unit effort at Blackjack Pond was 12.2
fish/angler-hour (Table 5), comparing closely with
the overall mean c/f in Blackjack (9.9) during the
previous angling experiment. The total catch of
146 hybrids during the 2-h period was 21% of the
population. Catch per effort at Britt Pond was 22.4
fish/angler-hour, and the total catch of 403 fish
was 66% of the population. These high catch rates,
especially at Britt Pond, once again confirm the
aggressiveness and vulnerability of the BG x GS
hybrid, and point to the importance of strict control
of harvest in hybrid ponds.
Last edited by ewest; 01/01/09 09:34 PM.