LH - 1/3 ac is not too small for LMB. The fewer LMB there are in 0.3 ac the bigger they tend to get and vice versa. At 20 LMB in 0.3ac with lots of food you could see some at 3-4 lbs maybe one or two 5 lb depending on numerous variables. However most common is 1 - 3 lbs for LMB in 0.5 ac or less.
HSB in adequate numbers could control HBG where the main variables are size of stocker HSB and size of the predominant smaller HBG. Remember the fish has to easily fit into the mouth in the HSB which is a small mouth compared to a LMB of the same length.
Owners with too many HBG in smaller ponds (>1ac) could use trapping with larger homemade box traps to remove lots of the intermediate size HBG. HBG readily enter fish traps.
If I had HBG in a smaller pond I would not hesitate adding male LMB caught off nests and HSB. Those two predators would provide predation from two habitats shallow water and more open water. I would use the male LMB because they are easier to obtain and recognize than the females. Neither the male LMB nor HSB would reproduce so you have a good control of the number of predators in the pond i.e. better management of the fishery numbers.
I know of some fish farms that sell wild HBG (mixed parentage) as HBG. Buyer beware.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 06/18/17 07:25 PM.
