Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Help Green Sunfish

Has anyone tried managing for big GSF? Is there anything more to do than releasing the big ones? Is that even the right thing to do? I put 25 GSF in my pond last year, and so far, I'm quite pleased with them. They have grown a lot (about as heavy as my 9" BG), and they will hit when nothing else will. I think I've caught at least once all that the otters didn't get. They hit on whatever I fish with: flies, spinners, twister tails, and poppers.

Do you have any other predators in your BOW? I had GSF come in with the water when the pond filled. I culled out 350 of the smaller ones to a friends pond to feed his LMB (surviving on their spawn). I've noticed a sharp decline in the smaller sizes especially this year after I introduced LMB, CC, and BC the summer of 2915. I know I have some big ones in the pond, I caught some 8"+ ones last spring. I have not hooked any big ones this year, but I know they've spawned. Unless you've got something in your pond big enough to eat the big ones, they should be fine. I'd just release them back into your BOW and keep feeding your forage base.

PM Sparkplug...he grows some monster GSF...

I had some LMB in the 2-3 lb range last, but then otters got in, and I haven't caught, or even seen, any large bass. I have CC and both kinds of crappie, but they've never amounted to much. I also added 30 yellow perch last year and haven't seen hide nor hair of them since. I suppose otters really like them. So, as far as predators go, I guess I have to put otters at the top of the chain.

They take to pelleted feed easily. Probably the quickest way to grow them.

I feed pellets every evening, but I hardly ever see anything other than BG. Last year, the CC were big feeders, but I don't know that I'm seeing any this year. The BG sometimes swarm the feeding area, and I'm seeing a lot of what I consider big ones. But they're cagey and reluctant to take artificials. The GSF are much more gullible.

I'm surprised the GSF haven't pushed the BG aside. Mine are aggressive. They aren't even scared of me. They come right up inches from the bank when I feed. If I don't hurry and throw the food, they start flopping around letting me know to hurry up.

Ouch!

I do have a few, nice sized HBG though.

When I read that I wondered if/how sprkplug would respond! Now we know.

He doesn't raise GSF. He just likes their superior genetics part of the gene pool of his BG.

Me too!

Manage for large GSF just like you would for large BG. You will have some HBG like Sprkplug's before long.

Sparkplug,
.....ooooooh My bad!!!! My absolute total mistake!!!!! You helped me manage some GSF in the past. I hope I did not unintentionally tarnish your reputation.
Charlie

Since we're talking about GSF and HBG, which parent do you prefer. Female GSF or male GSF.? Does it make a hoot?

I think the reason I'm seeing all or nearly all BG is that they greatly outnumber everything else. And they are quite aggressive. I caught some nice size BG on a 3 wt fly rod today, out at the end of my cast, and I was casting about as far as I ever have. That was fun. And as I worked my way around the pond, a GSF seemed to be going with me. Wherever I stopped for a bit, there it would be, just a couple feet off shore.

No worries here Charlie, as it's awfully hard to tarnish something that already glows with all the brilliance of a well used wooden spoon.

We both know it's difficult to enjoy the multitude of benefits that HBG bring to the pond, without acknowledging the contributions made by the oft maligned GSF. Let's just keep that between the two of us for now, though.

As I recall from reading (someone correct me if I am wrong), the common commercial HBG sold by fish farms are a cross of a BG male and a GSF female. One of the reasons this cross is used is that it produces a very high percentage of males. The opposite cross also has more males than females but the female component is higher. Since HBG are mostly sold as a put and take fish and reproduction is not desired, plus the desirability of the male fish preference for growth potential, the BG male x GSF female is the common preferred way to get HBG.

That is from my recollection of some articles that ewest posted a year or two ago and my memory is not always that good, so someone correct me if that is misinformation.

Here are the sex ratios (percent male) that Childers got with various hybrid crosses. The male parent is listed first. There is some variation in the numbers from other studies

Redear X Bluegill 97 (3)
Bluegill X Redear 97
Redear X Green 69
Green X Redear 48
Bluegill X Green 97
Green X Bluegill 68 (2)
Redear X Warmouth 55
Bluegill X Warmouth 69 (2)
Green X Warmouth 16
Warmouth X Green 84

See this
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.ph...true#Post449213

See this chart which indicates the Better/bigger cross is with male BG.