I’ve been doing a lot of reading on Hybrid Striped Bass in farm ponds. Sources indicate to me that HSB, due to their (relatively) small mouths and open-water habits, are not good predators of Bluegill. BG ponds with only HSB as a predator are prone to turning into messes of stunted BG.
My reading also informed me that HSB are good predators of Golden Shiners. This piqued my curiosity. Would it be feasible to have a pond based on HSB and GSH sustainable without artificial feeding, with the goal of low-intensity put-and-take sportfishing for the HSB? I have read that Smallmouth Bass ponds can sustain GSH populations as primary forage because some GSH will get too large for the SMB to eat and spawn prolifically. Perhaps this same relationship would work with HSB? My main concern would be the HSB wiping out the GSH population and then starving.
Since they don't spawn and you can completely control your HSB numbers, you should be able to hold their predation on GSH to a level that GSH spawning and growth will sustain.
I'd stock the GSH (and FHM for initial forage) a year ahead of the HSB, and stock HSB numbers on the low side initially. You may want to restock the HSB yearly, so the annual stocking rates could be figured from the number of HSB removed and the relative abundance of GSH.
GSH are very easy to catch on worms, small spinner baits, etc., so you can keep an eye on how their numbers and size are doing.
Interesting question, txelen, and one for which I'm anxious to see the responses. I saw some input, as I'm sure you did, on the other thread in this category - Stocking a Renovated Pond - and it seems to give some pretty good input on the question you've posed. I have a 1.5 acre pond that is only about 1/2 full due to what I believe is muskrat damage to the dam. I'm entertaining all sorts of ideas for it as a fishery when I get around to repairing it and have considered raising the dam height substantially which would get me a max depth of around 30 - 40 feet and would probably expand the surface area to two acres or perhaps a little more. With that much water, I have been really intrigued by the idea of adding HSB as a major gamefish, though I would likely end up stocking a mix of fish to include some other fun gamefish, though I don't know what at this point. Isn't it fun to have these sorts of questions to deal with?! I'm sure more opinions will be offered before long, so hang tight!
I've learned two more interesting facts in my reading. Maybe some of the more experienced pond dogs can let me know if my thinking is correct:
-HSB around 14" consume surprisingly small prey, with the vast majority of what they eat being under 2"
-GSH like to lay their eggs in sunfish nests, which increases GSH fry survival.
Perhaps stocking Redear Sunfish would benefit a GSH/HSB pond. It'd probably increase GSH fry survival, allowing more GSH to get into the 1" size range for HSB to eat them. RES could also help control pond parasites and provide some alternate fishing opportunities, without much potential to overpopulate or competing with the GSH/HSB for food.
If some of the more experienced fellows here think this is feasible, I may be tempted to talk my dad into trying it out in one of our drought-killed-but-now-refilling .4 acre ponds. He loves topwater fishing for Smallmouth, and HSB are probably the closest thing he could get living in TX.
Another question: How do HSB act when eating floating food? Do they eat like catfish, or do they hit-and-run like bluegill? The non-fishing members of my family love throwing floating food to channel cats and watching them hoover merrily along the surface scarfing it down. I'm not a huge fan of catfish because I like fishing with lures, so it'd be good if we could stock something that'd meet the desires of everyone enjoying the pond.
I've learned two more interesting facts in my reading.
-GSH like to lay their eggs in sunfish nests, which increases GSH fry survival.
Can you give the source for that?
I think a HSB/GSH/RES pond could be a very interesting combo. If not feeding the fish, I would definitely stock FHM and GSH first and give them a full spring and summer to grow and spawn. Perhaps stocking the FHM and GSH in the spring and then stock the HSB in the fall along with the RES. I would also look into stocking grass shrimp when you stocked the FHM and GSH. I think they would be an excellent addition to the community.
.4 acre, 15' max depth
I'm thinking 4# FHM and 6# GSH in January/February, followed by 75 RES and 10 fingerling HSB in November/December. Thoughts?
My HSB attack the food like a LMB does a topwater. I would think you could add more than 10 6 inch HSB in .4 acres. I would go with 20. I would also go with 10 lbs of FH and 4 lbs of GShiners. My concern is the GShiner adults might get to big to fast. FH asap , GShiners in March , RES in June and HSB in fall. This assumes you will be stocking adult FH and 2-3 inch GShiners , 2-3 inch RES and 6 inch HSB.
I agree with Eric, you can most likely get away with more HSB than just 10 since they will be your only predator. You can definitely add 20 if you will only be stocking every other year. Even every year I think you will be fine with that amount...