Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Sunfish-Including Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass Unidentified Sunfish

See this thread for lots on HBG and sunfish id.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=14459&page=1

I caught a GSF today in a friend's pond that I fish about once per month. It's near a major river and connected to some other ponds through the drains and overflows and such.

It was the first one I'd ever seen live and in person. It was a pretty good sized example - about 7-8" and we had no idea what it was until I got home and looked it up. The size of the mouth was my first clue - the the coloration on the head.

The owner of this pond doesn't even fish so, there has been no stocking. We usually fish there for big BG and runt LMB. My buddy caught a LMB that went about 2 1/2 pounds and we think that's the biggest one we can remember ever catching there.

Oh, and this is the pond that I caught my personal best black crappie from - 15 7/8"

Anyway, is this a bad omen?

I agree with you, sprkplug, about #2. The larger mouth is odd, but the looks of the fish say bluegill to me.

Would you be willing to post some pictures of your fish you have been raising?

Do any of your hybrids look different?

I ask this do to the fact that my HBG I stocked do not look like what I was expecting or what the picture of what they were selling.

Just wondering if you could help.

thanks

Good to know that maybe I do have BG in my pond and not all HBG. I was also worried that I had a bunch of GSF in my pond as I have heard they can take over a pond. I think my bass are getting big enough to hopefully keep that in check. I have only stocked the BG and LMB. The rest came from a pipe that connects a neighbors pond to my pond. Their pond was overflowing and the overflow pipe comes into mine. The fish were shooting out of it. Thinking about plugging that pipe so nothing else comes into my pond.

Yup, no purebread bg has that large of mouth. And #3 is a hybrid for sure, not even close to slender enough. Most look like they have some RES in them also. But when you do hybrid you get genetic variations. I'd have to say you were sold hybrid bg.

I don't use hybrid bg because they are notorious for ending with thier generation. Offspring are iffy, usually duds. Then all the good fish are caught up or die and you are stuck with duds. Most of my customers want a self sustaining population. My guy is grumbling now he never thought he would have to plant again, and that was over ten years ago. But he has to badly and knows it. A pond full of stunted bg is not much fun after some time. I would use both pumpkinseed and especially cnb, but they are unavailable in my area for a decent price and customers just don't want to pay double or triple for them over RES.

When it comes to HBG, there a few things to keep in mind. First, they're not all "cookie cutter" replicas of each other. Just like people, there are genetic diversities that create different "looks". Doesn't mean they aren't hybrid Bluegills, just means there's a little variety in the cross. Second, the link that ewest was kind enough to post is THE place to start your HBG education. That's where I got started, be prepared for a few headaches trying to sort all the variations out. Third, and this is very important, be aware that discussing HBG in general, and GG in particular, is akin to watching someone stir the campfire with a stick of dynamite. your first instinct says to stay the heck away, but you're gripped with a perverse desire to watch what happens. That's the thing with these fish, you either love em' or you don't. Part of that is due to the way they have been misrepresented to the general public. They are not the "miracle", saviour sunfish. as Pond frog pointed out, they are not, and should not be encouraged to be, self-sustaining. I would go as far to say that if your goal is a balanced fishery, don't stock HBG. On the other hand, if you want some truly huge BG, and you don't mind restocking as you remove fish, the potential is there for outstanding growth. Will they outgrow native BG? I honestly doubt it, if all things are equal. (water quality, feeding program, adequate predation) What appeals to me is the same thing that turns off Pond Frog. Low reproductive viability. Keep a large population of starving 8-12" LMB in a small pond with these babies, feed Aquamax everyday, aerate appropriately, and stand back.