Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Hybrid striped bass in my Michigan pond????

A fish supplier wants to sell me hybrid striped bass for my southern Michigan farm pond. It is about 3.5 acres and 14 feet deep. I also have good aeration through three sets of bottom stones on plates. Can the fish survive the cold winters here???

Welcome to Pond Boss, Michfish.

I may be wrong on this, but I thought HSB were not allowed in Michigan. I may be totally wrong on that though. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

They do survive months under ice in my pond in PA with similar conditions to what you've described in yours. I believe they would make it in your pond also without full details.

The supplier is in northern Ohio and they assure me all is legal and the fish are inspected for health and such. I am excited to get them in order to eat down my over abundance of little bluegill. None of the other local suppliers stock them and didn't know they were available. I find that odd.?!

Hang tight and we'll get input from some of the others.

I dont know about the legality, but I would definitely give them a try!

It is time to turn off your aerators for the winter. I would try to place on of the stones in shallower water just in case you need to clear some ice.

Does anyone have any input on this thread?

Any of you MI folks have any HSB?

MICHIGAN AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 199 of 1996
(9) For the purposes of this act, each genetically engineered variant of an aquaculture species shall be considered a distinct aquaculture species. A genetically engineered variant of an aquaculture species is not included on the list of approved aquaculture species under section 5 unless specifically identified on the list or specifically identified in a rule promulgated under section 12 as being included on the list. A genetically engineered organism that is a variant of an aquaculture species is not covered by an aquaculture research permit under section 8 unless specifically identified in the permit. An entry on the list of approved aquaculture species under section 5, a rule promulgated under section 12, or an aquaculture research permit under section 8 may be limited to a genetically engineered organism.

MICHIGAN AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 199 of 1996
(2) Approved freshwater species are as follows:
(a) Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
(b) Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula)
(c) Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus)
(d) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
(e) Brown trout (Salmo trutta)
(f) Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
(g) Splake (Salvelinus namaycush x Salvelinus fontinalis)
(h) Lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)
(i) Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
(j) Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)
(k) Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
(l) Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
(m) Lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)
(n) Lake herring (Coregonus artedi)
(o) Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)
(p) Northern pike (Esox lucius)
(q) Tiger muskie (Esox masquinongy x Esox lucius)
(r) Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
(s) Goldfish (Carassius auratus)
(t) Creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus)
(u) Bowfin (Amia calva)
(v) Redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos)
(w) Finescale dace (Phoxinus neogaeus)
(x) Common shiner (Luxilus cornutus)
(y) Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
(z) Emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides)
(aa) Bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus)
(bb) Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
(cc) Black bullhead (Ameiurus melas)
(dd) Yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis)
(ee) Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
(ff) Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
(gg) Flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
(hh) Burbot (Lota lota)
(ii) Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolmieu)
(jj) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
(kk) White crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
(ll) Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
(mm) Hybrid crappie (Pomoxis annularis x Pomoxis
nigromaculatus)
(nn) Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus)
(oo) Rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris)
(pp) Green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)
(qq) Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
(rr) Hybrid bluegill (Lepomis cyanellus x Lepomis
macrochirus)
(ss) Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus)
(tt) Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
(uu) Sauger (Stizostedion canadense)
(vv) Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum)
(ww) Saugeye (Stizostedion canadense x
Stizostedion vitreum vitreum)
(xx) Yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
(yy) Bigmouth buffalofish (Ictiobus cyprinellus)
(zz) Black buffalofish (Ictiobus niger)
(aaa) White perch (Morone americana)
(bbb) White bass (Morone chrysops)
(ccc) Tilapia (Genera of Tiliapia (except T. rondeliia),
Oreochromis, Sarotheradom and hybrids
thereof)
NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 451 of 1994
(2) The department may promulgate rules under this part to prohibit or restrict the importation of any species of game fish or other fish if the importation of that species would endanger the public fishery resources of this state. A prohibition or restriction in rules promulgated under this subsection applies to a genetically engineered variant of a fish species identified in the prohibition or restriction unless the prohibition or restriction specifically provides otherwise. A prohibition or restriction in rules promulgated under this subsection may be limited to a genetically engineered fish.

Thanks Ryan.

So what is our advice for Michfish?

No real advice. I dug around all the law stuff (there's a bunch so it was mostly skimming) and came to two indefinite conclusions:

1. They're not legal to stock unless their on the approved list, but the list I posted was for aquaculture.

2. They're not on the prohibited or restricted lists either, so maybe they are allowed under certain conditions.

Another observation, under the definitions in one of the acts, hybrid striped bass were considered a gamefish so maybe there's a loophole somewhere.

My advice is to find out why the Ohio grower thinks it's legal then post the answer here because there have been several other MI folks that could benefit from the answer.

I should also add that the penalties for stocking fish illegally were pretty steep...something like up to 5 years in prison and $2,000,000 in fines.

Well guys, they just delivered my 200 HSB to my pond yesterday. The delivery guys told me that thay have been delivering this breed to other Mich. pond owners and that they are legal. These six inch fish sure were pretty and we enjoyed watching them rapidly swim away from the shore!!! Can't wait to start catching them in two years. Of course catch and release only---at least for a while. I did just turn off my aerators for the winter also.

Hi Michfish,
I checked out your photobucket pictures, awesome layout and pond planning.
I also am planning for future stocking in Michigan and am a little troubled at the lack of clear yea or nay on the HSB. It seems strange that IN-state suppliers don't provide and out of state do.
They say 'this breed is legal' but I was unaware of subspecies or 'strains' of a fish being legal and other strains not legal with HSB or bass in general. For example can I stock camelot bell bass as legally as LMB?

My pond is groundwater, landlocked and no way fish can leave the BOW (outside of the thread I enjoyed about kingfishers transporting..) and trespassers doing catch and non-release. But I still want to follow the rules.

Others did it and got away with it makes me a bit nervous.

Anyone else have ideas? Anyone know the fish farm retailers in west, central, or eastern lower peninsula michigan who may know why it seems fish farms don't raise or sell HSB in Michigan?

I'm also curious if you ever tried tilapia and any experience you can share.

I'd like to create a photo documentary on the creation of my pond to share with the PB community and then try to ask advice prior to starting my stocking plan, but the process of documentation, editing and posting pictures and posts is a bit daunting and I keep putting it on my rainy day list of things to do

If you can share the supplier in ohio please do, or you can IM me.

Thanks!

The Jones fish hatchery (also in Ohio) where I may end up purchasing RES in the spring has this on their webpage. If it indeed is legal maybe we should ask them to correct their webpage?


Hybrid Striped Bass











The hybrid striped bass (Merone saxatilis x Merone chrysops) is the result of a cross between a striped and white bass. The resulting fish is larger than the white bass and as aggressive as the striped bass. The hybrid striper is a voracious eater and effectively controls the overpopulation of bluegill. It also takes well to commercial fish food. The hybrid striper is most easily recognized by a series of black stripes along the length of its silvery body. Some stripes are broken and do not run the length of its body. This fish is sterile—eliminating any potential for an over-population problem. The total number of fish harvested per year should be replaced annually. The hybrid striper has the potential to grow 2 to 3 pounds the first year if a feeding program is established.

3-4" $1.55 each

5-7" $3.55 each

8-10" $5.80 each

12"+ $12.50 / lb.



Stocking Restrictions:
MI, VA-- Prohibited Statewide
OH & PA--Prohibited in the Lake Erie Watershed

canyoncreek, I have found when you write to people in posts much older than a few months, often the poster is nowhere to be found and you never hear back from them...