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

I think GSF are a way of life in our part of the world Jacklegg. I'm in SE Ks and managing around GSF in my old pond, and just within the last couple of weeks have take out a dozen or so 2-4" GSF in my sediment pond that had only CNBG and RES stocked last fall. So who knows where the little greenies came from. Maybe in the 1-2" fish I stocked that I missed, maybe the GBH that visits regularly, maybe a freak thunderstorm, maybe Martians, who knows. But there they are. Will manage around them.

GSF in our part of the world are in every little stream and creek and the little buggers can swim upstream in an inch or two of water so pond overflows into creeks or flooded areas are a potential source.

Guys up north get pretty paranoid about the GSF. Guys in the south don't seem to worry so much. We here in the middle I think the GSF is just a way of life.

In my old pond I personally remove any GSF I catch (actually I cut the tail and spines off the small ones with scissors and return them to the water for the LMB). Once I'm certain my BG have the upper hand as far as sunfish go, I'll quit worrying about them. Seems like where they really cause a problem is in a new BOW where they get the upper hand on the other fish. Their large mouth makes them more like a miniature bass rather than like BG.

The big problem I see with the GSF (if a person likes pan fish and doesn't mind them competing with LMB for food) is they just don't get very big. Even the biggest ones are just barely big enough to be worth eating. But I do like the GSF genes in the HBG. The HBG get big enough to eat, and they bite a hook when the BG are too persnickety.

If it were me, I would remove the GSF as I caught them at least until you are sure your other fish populations are where you want them at.

No expert here, just learning as I go and only been at managing ponds a couple years. But been around ponds and creeks with GSF all my life.

Edit: If a person wants to remove GSF, a lot of small ones can be captured in a minnow trap with fish food or dog food as bait.