Thank you everyone. The CNBG is a done deal as they have been in since December. I guess my concerns were an over abundance of LMB but if that is the best option I am not opposed. What would be a good mix maybe 15 hybrids and 15 LMB this spring with hybrids added every other year? I am more interested in big bluegill than big bass.
I think a proven recipe is probably the best option as a newbie experimenting can go bad in a hurry.
From my experience I have had BG reproduction so good that it has limited my LMB recruitment. Subsequently I have BG out the wazoo and very limited LMB. I have run into a modest BG over crowding although since I like to fish for BG that has not been too bad so far. But I can see where my top end growth for the BG has been retarded. I have loads of 6-8" BG but not many of the nicer larger ones.
Last fall I caught and wife and I filleted over 400 BG to reduce the crowding some. Well come this spring it appears to have not even made a dent. When I feed there looks to be as many BG as ever (of course there isn't, but it looks that way). The good news is my catch rate is great and I have enjoyed some brisk fishing the last couple days. But if I were trying for trophy status it would be a disappointment.
So for all this rambling, from my experience, if you want good BG fishing you need some way to prevent the BG from becoming too numerous. Either by adequate predators or by an awful lot of removal fishing. I think my BG got the upper hand on my predators and are preventing the LMB from having successful spawns or at least almost no survival of the spawns. I'm working to remedy that by removing lots of BG and also by raising an additional 100 LMB in another pond to transfer to my main pond when they get to about 12" (this on a 3 acre main pond).
That is my experience. If you don't like to catch lots of 4" BG, be sure you have enough predators to control their spawn so the numbers will stay in check so they will have enough resources to reach the nice 8-9" size.
