Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Another possible twist to my mutt ponds population

I posted this pic in another subject in hopes to getting some input on a possible cross breeding.

I caught this fish this morning. If I'm seeing what I think, I believe it's a HBG. If so it's a naturally occurring specimen as none have been stocked.

Any input is greatly appreciated.

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/1GWU5K4JzYXzDqVK7[/img]

The fish in the photo to me, looks like a color phase of a pure strain BG. Note the lack of a color margin of the gill flap. Unless I am missing something the gill flap appears to be all black to the back margin. Some sort of colored or light color margin is present on almost all HBG. The fins also do not show any color pattern different than those of a 'regular' BG.

Thanks Bill.
What got me wondering was the size of the mouth. Its much larger than any of the other BG I've caught. Thanks again for the clarification.

IMO I’m thinking bluegill crossed with warmouth. Only reasoning I see no yellow or orange highlights on fins.

That is entirely possible, as my Warmouth population is minimal. Could be a female WM did a little dance with one of my male BG (most likely scenario, anyway). The first fish I caught yesterday had all the body characteristics of WM...except coloration was more BG. Wish I'd took a picture of it. If I catch any more I'll be sure to be prepared.

The only things I questioned on the fish being pure BG Bill is the mouth looks big for a pure BG (could be it just looks that way because it is stretched open though) and the pectoral fin looks pretty short rather than intermediate length. Maybe just the way it is fanned out but looks more like a GSF type pectoral fin.

Edit: I see the line coming out of the mouth now so maybe just the way the bait is swallowed is making the mouth look big.

You can't see the lure, which is a grub bodied jig off of a baby beetle spin, maybe 3/4" long. The mouth is considerably bigger than a BG. More like that of a WM or GSF. The jig was completely inside the mouth. Luckily, not swallowed. Everything else about the fish otherwise says BG.

This fish was caught same day and is about the same length. Note the longer tail and much smaller mouth.

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/RgP7CSCD7VA712p38[/img]

And that pectoral fin looks about the same so I was probably just wrong on that observation.

My two cents goes to Snakebite's suggestion.

Nice looking cross Mike. How long was it? Would be 0 year fish so very good growth.

It looks at least 6". Great first summer growth. You could really pin down the length by measuring the length of the bobber.

The bobber is 1" from end to end of the spring button. I guessed the length at 6". No idea at how old it could be, but the pond was dug 2 years ago, so no older than that. I caught a couple 2" WM in a trap back in the spring and have transplanted three that were 6"+ from local water this year.

Strange thing is, the very first fish I caught that day (didn't photogragh) had all the body characteristics of Warmouth, red eyes and all, but had BG coloration. I thought it pretty weird considering my water isn't turbid at all. It was at least 6" as well. I've handled enough GSF, BG, and WM to tell the difference now, but these two fish caught me off guard completely.

Im kinda stoked!! Guess I'm gonna have to keep my eyes out for more of these hybrids. This little puddle is starting to impress me as to it's capabilities.

I am new to really managing a pond and what types of fish as far as hybrids. Neat looking fish there Mike. I caught a BG GSF cross this year. Reading about your pond has inspired me to try to get some warmouths, RES and some LES to add to the mix to see what I end up with. Sunfish are a neat breed with all the crosses and variations.

The pond is definitely a mixed bag of critters, for sure. I've trapped a couple of small RES from the pond (most likely hurricane harvey deposits) and transplanted a dozen or so, but as of yet haven't been able to get a hook in one to see how they're doing. I'm hoping they are able to compete with all the larger mouthed fish I've got. Surprisingly, the GSF and WM, along with the 3 LMB seem to be controlling the BG pretty well tho. Would love to catch a RESX from my little puddle.

I am pretty lucky in that my pond only has runoff water from a field and some woods. The bayou behind the house flooded the highest I have ever seen it and it lacked about another 3 ft. from getting to my pond.

Under "normal" circumstances, runoff from my property is the only fresh water my pond sees. A steady multi-day rain will add runoff from my next door neighbor (sub-division), which can occasionally overflow the pond. But 2016 threw a flood of a lifetime event at us (prior to pond build) and then Harvey last year, which resulted in 56" of water over the pond for a week, and that 1' less than the '16 flood.

Those two events alone are what prevents me from investing a bunch of $s in stockers. That being said....my lemons are making some rather tangy lemonaide!!

Eventually the BH should die off from old age and predation and I'll bucket stock a few CC or BC to take their place. I like watching and catching LMB, but there's definitely better table fare in my opinion, and my history with tournament fishing has given me too great of respect for them to kill them. So their function will remain as crowd control on the "perch" species and hopefully I'll start seeing those 10+" fish in the next couple of years....regardless of species. That's the plan, anyway.

I like your approach about your pond. I pretty much have the same outlook. I want to get some more diversity with some RES, warmouth and LES. I caught some LES on a vacation trip to Hot Springs and they are a real colorful fish. Would of brought them home but I don't think they would of made the 2+ hr car ride to well. All of what I have bucket stocked was within 30 min of the pond. Mostly around the local farm reservoirs and ditches within a few miles. As for eating the bream are my favorite by far.

I've seen a handful of LES. But their numbers are so small, and I've never saw one bigger than maybe 3", so I don't give them much consideration other than forage. I don't think the fry stand much of a chance with 4 different predators (GSF, WM, BH & LMB). I caught one 5" crappie in a trap this summer, but haven't seen another one. I'm hoping it was a lone wolf brought in by the Harvey flood....fingers crossed.

Its about time (with the water starting to cool off) to do another trap survey & see what turns up.

I've seen a handful of LES. But their numbers are so small, and I've never saw one bigger than maybe 3", so I don't give them much consideration other than forage. I don't think the fry stand much of a chance with 4 different predators (GSF, WM, BH & LMB). I caught one 5" crappie in a trap this summer, but haven't seen another one. I'm hoping it was a lone wolf brought in by the Harvey flood....fingers crossed.

Its about time (with the water starting to cool off) to do another trap survey & see what turns up.