Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose HSB Lifespan

Hello,
An SRAC Publication I am reading says that HSB only live about 5 years? What are the personal experiences on this forum, minus the catching them in hot weather factor I saw in another thread?

Thanks In Advannce...

bigmac,

I can't speak for anyone else but my experience with them has been positive. We put 120 5" to 6" HSB in May 2005 and have seen very low mortality, probably fewer than 10% total.

Our water temps here won't be near as high as you'll see down south but I was suprised how well they wintered over with ice on the pond.

They are easy to feed and will grow rapidly as the pictures below show lots of fish in the 12" to 16" range.I'm hoping to get at least another 3 years out of them but will start harvesting some soon for fish frys.If I can get my in-laws to eat them they won't last 5 years.

Chip

PS- Sorry about the image sizing but I'm having a hard time today.

Waiting for the feed


Some BG and a lazy LMB with them


A little feed to get them stirred up

Yeah, I will probably eat them, once they reach 1.5 to 2 pounds, but still wondering about the lifespan.

Thanks for the pics. I hope to see that sight in my two future ponds. Hopefully, this tropical storm, Earnest, won't mess up my pond builders.

Easily 7 years here in Eastern Nebraska, with a few individuals making it to the ripe old age of 10. The number goes higher as your mean annual temperature goes lower.

Thanks Bruce,
I wondered if there was a correlation between water temeratures and life span.
Chip

I have a client that still has some (low %) after 9 years here in hot GA heat.

9 years! What are they weighing?

I don't have a good answer for bigmac, but I can say that the state publications are based on striped bass female/white bass male cross. With the reciprocal cross, which are available to us on the forum, life span may be different. I hope to be able to answer that question for our geographic location someday, hopefully later than sooner. :p

Hopefully, later than sooner.

Todd, I had to chuckle about that one.

Bigmac,

Excellent question, especially for the Southern climes such as we have. A related question I'd like to answer is how large can we reasonably expect HSB to get in small ponds in Texas?

The State record for private waters is sorry...just over 5 pounds on rod and reel. The fly fishing category is open...a record waiting to be established. Is this record indicative of the max size for HSB in our Texas small ponds or has it just not been tested? My goodness, the much maligned record hybrid BG, named Bubba, is over 5 pounds.

My own experiece is limited to four years with HSB. The initial stockers now number only 3 or 4 fish, in my estimation. Their size is comparable to the State record for rod and reel, again in my estimation. I'm hopeful that they can survive the remainder of the summer, go through the Tilapia die-off feast and also feed on some Rainbows this winter...next spring check the record for HSB in private waters...if someone hasn't filed a new record by then, I will file one for fly fishing and hope it will also beat the current rod and reel record.

So far, we have: striped bass female/white bass male cross = approximately a 5 year lifespan, unless Greg Grime's 9 years is that cross?
In East/Central Texas, we have access to the reciprocal cross of striped bass male/white bass female cross, which equals approximately a ? year lifespan. Anyone have any over 4 years old?

I could live with the just over 5 pounds. I would probably eat them, before they reached that size, unless I decide to try and beat ML's upcoming record. I wonder if they have to be unfed to make it into the record books?

Dave, I hope you don't mind me playing with the words in your signature?

Chip Rowland,
How big is the pond you stocked the 120 HSB in?

ML, you have done a good job managing your ponds for HSB, and promoting stocking HSB in Texas farm ponds.

As you are well aware, by coincidence, we both began our stocking programs at the same time, with different results.

Your initial stocking survival rates were better than mine, due to less LMB predation. That is reason I have been aggressive in promoting adult HSB stocking programs, to avoid the serious problem of LMB predation.

I am surprised as you are, at the small size of HSB record for Texas private water, with no fly rod submittals.

I would encourage you to submit your next quality HSB, regardless of size, and then replace your own record. I think that would be important in publicizing HSB, and worthy of publication.

My own philosophy is quit different, as yours may well be someday, is to do the best job I can in managing our ponds, watch the sun rise one more time as I prowl the ponds banks with fly rod in hand – and appreciate each and every fish, large or small.

bigmac - didn't intend to be a "thread killer" - Sorry about that..
Jump back in...

Guys I have been checking on this and will have some related info soon. It may not come from me though.

George that was not a thread killer in fact it added to the thought process.

George: No apology needed, as I never even noticed any "thread killer" actions. I'm open to learning all I can about HSB. I want CNBG and RE for kid fishing, along with Tilapia for weed control and to reduce feeding. I need a tasty predator, with a low or no reproductive rate, so I'm investigating HSB, over female LMB. If even one male LMB got in there...

Besides fishing pleasure, I want to be able to eat all fish species in the ponds.

All: BTW, twice, I have seen birds drop fish in ponds, that did not come from the pond they were dropped in. Both times were because of a Mockingbird harrassing them.

Here is a southern answer. Guys very good fact sheet at these links.

http://srac.tamu.edu/fulllist.cfm

SRAC 300 Hybrid Striped Bass: Biology and Life History
http://srac.tamu.edu/index.cfm?catid=12

Age and growth

Hybrid striped bass grow when water temperatures are above 15° C. However, optimum growing conditions occur when water temperatures are 25 to 27 C. Hybrids grow rapidly during their first two years of life. Growth to 275 to 375 mm in
length and 225 to 350 grams in the first year and 450 to 550 mm in length and 1 to 1.5 kg in the second year is common. Growth rate declines rapidly with increasing age and is similar in males and females. Maximum reported weight for a
hybrid striped bass is approximately 10 kg. The typical size of hybrids caught by fishermen generally ranges from 2 to 5 pounds, but fish in
the 10 to 15 pound range are not uncommon.
The usual life span of hybrid striped bass is 5 to 6 years-- more similar to white bass than to
striped bass (30 to 40 years). The growth rate of hybrid striped bass in production ponds is determined by several factors: water temperature, quality and quantity of food, palatability of food, frequency of feeding and water quality. Hybrid striped bass are generally harvested at a weight of 1.5 to 2.5 pounds when
they are 18 to 24 months old.

Bigmac I did not stock the HSB, not sure what cross. I actually think thye came from Ken's, Deb still here?
The remaining ones are 8-12 lbs. I know at least that b/c last time we shocked we killed one. I should have weighed it but it did not figure in analysis, what is that they say about hindsight?

bigmac,
The pond is a little less than 2 acres.
Chip

Thanks all. This really helped me to know what I feel I need to know, now that I know I'm looking at 2 smaller ponds.

Hey, I'm up in Plano, TX, this week for work. I hope yyou Northern Texans are happy with the rain I brought up here with me. Man, coming into DFW I thought I was landing in Midland/Odessa.

I know of them living 8+years

I's it true that Hybrid striped bass will not survive catching them in warm weather?

I read this on a link and its disturbing to me since i have just order some.

Thanks for any help.

Shawn:

Here is perhaps the ultimate thread on HSB in Hot Water:
HSB in Hot Summer Weather

and an excellent thread on keeping HSB alive:
Large HSB Mortality

Be assured george, ML, Bruce, and Bill Cody know of what they speak.