Really nice HBG and HSB QA! I see the HBG has a big split in his tail too (that's not typical, right?). Somewhere on the forum (almost as bad as saying 'it depends') I read that LMB can by uniquely identified by their spot pattern. Maybe HSB too? Since you now have a photo of the left side of this HSB, maybe you'll catch it again for a comparison shot. Hope so! The pattern looks like the digital display on some stereos, where you can adjust the tone and bass and mid levels, etc. He didn't have any music coming out of him I hope?!? Sorry, guess I'm channeling my inner JHAP today.. ( I loved reading his posts)
"Politics": derived from 'poly' meaning many, and 'tics' meaning 'blood sucking parasites'.
Thanks for the compliment on the fish...I'm certainly proud.
I've seen a handful of HBG come out of my pond with split tails. So, it's normal in my hole even though it's not regular. I would venture to say that 2% have a split rear tail. It seems to be passed on as some of the culled juveniles show the trait also.
I'd say the the HSB has a fairly level tone with a bump in the low mid-range and a slight dip in the low treble. That's too funny!
Now, I have to go back and compare photos, thanks for the time killer!
New pond HSB record, but not by much...16.25" long at 2.001 pounds...caught on a night crawler, but it actually snagged itself on the side of the head...
A new HSB pond record was made last night while targeting the HBG. I was using enough night crawler to cover the hook, no weight, no bobber, just casting and letting it sink. I actually caught 4 HSB (all over 2#) and 7 HBG in an hour...best fishing at the pond since it was renovated...That's what it's all about!
I should also say that last night's feeding was part of the Optimal feed trial and was the first night for trying a different feed. The feeding was the poorest I have seen in weeks...very little activity and plenty of food left floating after the hour was up. About a 1/4 pound of feed was thrown over the course of the first 45 minutes...then I was too busy reeling in fish and there was too much food left uneaten.
18" long and 2.6 pounds...I'm going to need a bigger tare pan soon!
Note: all these fish were caught in the mouth...all legit fishing technique...I have up'd my game.
Thats a great lookin fish right there... Glad you gave the worms a shot and it worked for you. I hate fishing with them, but sometimes a person has to go back to the basics. In your other post you said they were caught in bg territory, I have no doubt they are roaming where bg do. I have been watching mine blow up on minnows a couple feet off the banks all summer. I have read countless times that hsb are open water fish, and believe this to be true, but like any animal on this planet they are going to go where the food is. I talked to a Mo conservation fishery guy about my stocking plans and he told me not to put in bg that the hsb would not go to the bg hangouts to feed on them. My first thought was what are they gonna eat then, second thought was hungry fish gonna go where the foods at. The hsb I have caught this year have been right where my bg are at. I have also caught them in rivers right where you would catch bg, and right off the banks. Again beautiful fish. Iam sure you enjoyed the fight. I would start eatin some, looks the right size to me. I quess you know that as they get bigger so must your fishing line lol
I agree. That’s a nice looking HSB right there. Although I’ve never personally seen one myself. Ha!
9 yr old pond, 1 ac, 15' deep. RES, YP, GS, FHM (no longer), HBG (going away), SMB, and HSB (only one seen in 5 yrs) Restocked HSB (2020) Have seen one of these. I think that's about all I should put in my little pond. Otter attack in 2023
Thanks folks...I appreciate your appreciation of the fish!
Originally Posted By: mikepjr
...In your other post you said they were caught in bg territory, ...
I really thought they stayed mostly segregated from each other as the HSB would feed on one side of the dock (along with some HBG), but the opposite, more structure crowded, side showed little to no HSB hits during feeding time. I have fished both sides of the dock over the past few weeks and never got even a hard hit on the HBG side...until that one night.
The feeding habits of the HSB seem to change every few months. I think that the FHM's are all but gone from the pond and that this year's HBG YOY are also in small numbers now ...causing the recent HSB re-interest in pellets. They were interested in pellets early in the first summer (2018), but soon disappeared and must have been feeding mainly on the FHM. Now, their back on the feed.
It's time to start managing the fish populations in my pond to help with DO levels and overall fish growth. I have put together a fish cage so that I don't have to clean only a few fish a night. This way I can allow the fish to purge their pellets (I have read here at PB that pellets in the belly add an extra unpleasantness to cleaning fish) and hold them in case I find an interested party who needs some for their pond.
I plan to take out about 75 pounds of HBG and only so many can fit in the freezer, but many can fit in the cage...
The cage was made of junk I had laying around and left over mesh from my fish trap (I bought the big roll).
And here is a very handy tool to have at the dock. It's made from a five gallon bucket handle. It works very well holding a fish that has a deep hook. The smaller fish are just slid over one of the prongs while larger fish can be hung from both prongs...slide fish onto prong by inserting the prong up through a gill and out the mouth. It makes the use of one of those plastic hook removal tools much easier (thanks for the hook remover tip Bocomo!).
One of these days (or years) I will have to upgrade the fish hanger to 1/4" rod instead of the bucket handle...the HSB are getting bigger by the minute. lol
RS - I think I stole the "no corners" idea from someone here on PB...you're welcome to steal it again!
Latest Pond HBG record by a small margin - 0.63 pounds @ 8.5" long...
I ended up catching one of the old record fish (this would make the third time I've caught it this year) and it swallowed the hook and did not make it. So, I cleaned it for the freezer. I was disheartened by the results. The meat was peppered with black spot parasites. I know they are in the pond and that they do not pose any risk upon consumption, but did not expect them to be so abundant in the flesh. It's still in the freezer, but I'm not too exited about it!
or this. I know they wont get that big in ponds, but imagine this pig roaming around in your puddle. I'm sure everyone has seen it before, but still wow what a toad.
The meat was peppered with black spot parasites. I know they are in the pond and that they do not pose any risk upon consumption, but did not expect them to be so abundant in the flesh. It's still in the freezer, but I'm not too exited about it!
GSF seem to be especially prone to this particular parasite. I can tell you that if you don't think too deeply about them you'll soon forget they are there. I've always trusted the advice that they can't harm you if they are cooked and haven't been deterred. Now the white grubs ... I can't help but to surgically remove them.
It isn't what we don't know that gives us trouble, it's what we know that ain't so - Will Rogers
Keep throwing the feed at your hybrids. They will look like this one before you know it.
Do you mean they will look like you or the fish? Either way I couldn't complain. lol
Originally Posted By: mikepjr
or this. I know they wont get that big in ponds, but imagine this pig roaming around in your puddle. I'm sure everyone has seen it before, but still wow what a toad.
Missouri state record 21lb 11oz
For crying out loud! I guess I could dream of growing that size of fish in my puddle...you never know...19.1 pounds to go!
Originally Posted By: jpsdad
...I can tell you that if you don't think too deeply about them you'll soon forget they are there. I've always trusted the advice that they can't harm you if they are cooked and haven't been deterred. Now the white grubs ... I can't help but to surgically remove them.
I doesn't take much of an excuse for me to not clean fish. I'm much more of a catch and release type of guy and if my wife were to find out about them...she wouldn't cook them for me anyhow. I plan to find good homes for them.
Originally Posted By: 5444
QA: As always, your posts never disappoint. I love reading about your pond success and seeing your pics. Congrats on the nice HSB.
I'm glad you enjoy my ramblings and I appreciate you saying so! Stay tuned...I'm here all week.
Not too bad considering my mad methods of management have focused on trying to grow the HBG using the HSB as population control. I think I can assume that the HSB are lacking a bit of food, but maybe just enough to keep them doing their job chasing the HBG YOY down. The HSB really started feeding on the pellets a month ago where as they were mostly absent at feeding time prior this year. I bet they mostly ran out of HBG YOY a month ago that was keeping them satisfied.
I hope to add 10 - 10" HSB to the pond this month and harvest a few more next spring given that the fish truck and I can hook up and the HSB bite next spring like they did a couple weeks ago. That was a lot of fun! Thanks to all that gave me their HSB catching tricks.
RS - I think I stole the "no corners" idea from someone here on PB...you're welcome to steal it again!
Latest Pond HBG record by a small margin - 0.63 pounds @ 8.5" long...
I ended up catching one of the old record fish (this would make the third time I've caught it this year) and it swallowed the hook and did not make it. So, I cleaned it for the freezer. I was disheartened by the results. The meat was peppered with black spot parasites. I know they are in the pond and that they do not pose any risk upon consumption, but did not expect them to be so abundant in the flesh. It's still in the freezer, but I'm not too exited about it!
QA,
Are your HBG GSFxRES or maybe BGxRES? Can't help but notice the red on the flap in the pic.
The fishery where they came from says that they are GSF females mated with Male BG. Although, your not the first one to point out the red on the o-flap. RES Mixed in might explain why my fish are so.... weird?