Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations HBG spawn! Crap!

Once the predators get larger than 12" or so then the FHM will be too small to be a preferred food.

And wouldn't that make them not interested in that size gills too? Or is the thinking to let the gills get slightly bigger than the FHM, then they get hammered by larger fish?

No way!
And the human condition being what it is, even if it was perfect NOW, our idea of perfection would change....
[This is what I keep telling my wife, as we age...she still thinks I'm full of crap, but she seems to appreciate the effort.]

They'll outgrow the FHM pretty quickly, and they will occupy more open water as they get older.

Went to the creek today and I have another question. What size SMB should I be targeting. I had 30 minutes free and got a nice 10 incher and spotted a beatiful 2 to 3 pounder in a hole that he can't really leave without a flood. I didn't go after since I think it might be a little large for its purpose, but it there for the taking. It had some beatiful markings. Another question. With the HSB present in pond how many SMB do you think I need. I was thinking 10 maybe. I released the one 10 incher in pond. Thanks.

Hmmmm, you need the pro's advice on gap size of each type of fish to be certain.

The simple answer would be go as big as you can, until they might be the size that could eat your stocker YP, HBG. I would think that a 10" SMB "might" eat 1/3 its size, so that leaves your current spawn as nice snacks, but your stockers safe. I don't think you could go smaller than this to be efficient.

Got a another 45 min to go fishing in the creek. Got 3 more. So I'm at 4 now.



Ill go get some more Monday. They were around 10 or 12 inches.

Hey Jwwann, if you get the chance it would be interesting to measure the gap and length of those. Then measure your little BG and see their size. Then you'll know for sure what is needed.

Those look like perfect yoy eating machines. I'd put in as many as you can catch....they'll not be hard to remove once the BG/HBG are under control, if you decide you don't want so many.

WRT what size BG they'll eat-I don't think a SMB will tackle a BG anywhere near 1/3rd its length. I've spent hours watching mine, and have fed them hundreds of BG. I don't know of a simple rule for predicting size they'll eat, but it's much smaller than LMB.

It's been interesting to watch larger [3-4#] SMB take injured BG on the surface. Once the BG get in the neighborhood of 3.5-4", the smallies seem to become much more methodical and careful. They'll swim up to the BG, sometimes circling it a couple times, then slurp it down head first. I'm thinking it's because they're more sensative to the sharp fins on a BG than LMB are, but that's just a guess. BG smaller than that, they just grab any which way.

Yolk, are you saying it takes about a 3# or more SMB to eat a 4" BG?

I too think its way smaller than 1/3, but didn't want to risk being wrong. I bet TJ would have a good feel for this, or BC.

If I had few hours free I could catch a crap load that size. Ill get out the tape measure if I get free time Monday to catch more. I removed 78 more YOY HBG from trap today. My giant SMB I thought was trapped was not present on second trip. He is hiding somewhere though. After I let the SMB loose I made a cast while I had a pole handy. My HSB are around 8 inches judging by this one.

No, I'm not exactly sure how big a smallie would have to be to take a 4" BG, just that as the BG get larger, the SMB seem much more cautious-and that in my pond, that seems to start at about 4". Less than that, game's on, and the BG are voraciously preyed upon.
I haven't experimented with exactly how large a BG they'll take, but probably should.
The smallies Jwwann is putting in should be perfect for BG the size he's showing.....

Got a few more in today.






Did not get the tape measure out. Forgot till I got back to this thread. Why are some SMB beautifully marked and like that big one at top have none. Is this just genetics? I love they way the marked ones look. If its genetics i can just start adding the marked ones in case they reproduce ill have good looking fish. I hope these things do some YoY HBG eating action. I'm going back out to set my traps and remove some more HBG.

Beautiful fish-you've got yourself some YOY eating machines.
Thanks for posting the pics.
I've noticed a lot of color variation in my smb-but I think, under the right circumstances, your large fish could show the "brown camo" pattern the younger ones do. I notice them changing back and forth sometimes when I keep them caged for a while.

I was pond side this evening feeding fish. I noticed one of the pesky HBG spawn nibbling on a piece of AM600 in about a foot of water by himself 3 foot in front of me. My blood was starting to boil a little when out of nowhere one of the SMB took him out with some top water action. It was awesome. I'll never forget that moment. It was great!

Now you need to change your title to something like this: "HBG spawn! What fun adventures will this turn into?".

I love it when the pond gives you these moments. If we only knew what will be.....

Right on! I think these wild SMB are better predators not being feed trained then the HSB. I think I'm starting to notice a decline in FHM already too. It could all be in my head though.

Try trapping some of the HBG minnows when they get around 1-1.25" long, hook em' lightly, suspend them below a float and try your luck. Nothing like reducing the biomass while catching big HBG at the same time......

I tell you what, I'm glad it was sugested to add those SMB. They have become my new favorite in pond. The F2 HBG and minnows come to surface nibbling on aquamax not knowing what is waiting in the depths. Then the SMB come to surface with some crazy top water action and take them out. Always out of the corner of my eye though. They are sneaky like that. I can't wait to add some more. Thanks Yolk,esshup, and everybody else for helping me get through this ordeal. All those YOY HBG had me scared bad. I still see a few but nothing like before. Thanks guys.

SMB are my favorite freshwater fish. They are beautiful and they fight like tigers.

Update coming soon.

Got out to the pond this afternoon. Caught several 6 to 7 inch HBG. Rainmans yellow perch were stealing the show though. Only 25 in pond and caught 4. Managed to hook one of my I'm guessing now two pond koi which broke my line in seconds. Caught 1 of the SMB relaesed in July. Pretty good for 45 min. Took a few pics of HBG and YP. Tried to catch a HSB, but had no such luck.






Those HBG were fat!
Caught one YP that must of been 9", but hooked it right through tongue. He was bleeding pretty bad so got him back in water fast as I could get the hook out. He splashed around on top for 10 minutes and finally went down. I hope it's not a floater tomorrow.

Beautiful fish JWann!

Just look at that bulge in the lateral line

Had to google lateral line. I now see what your talking about. Never noticed it before. I take it a curved line is better?

Good looking fish...gonna'be some bruisers!