Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose SMB and BG. A viable mixture for Trophy BG?

I will give an answer so that it can be followed by three semi-contradictions, two outright contradictions, and one over-extended rehashing of what I state.

I have SMB in a pond with YP and about a million BGxRES hybrids (F1's, Fx's, and backcrosses with a resident RES population). The hybrids should be easier than straight BG for the bass to control - lower fecundity and easier to swallow (slightly more fusiform from the RES genes). The SMB in the pond range up to 20" in length, and I don't take out very many of them (maybe 1 a year that is over 17", perhaps a few 6" - 8" juveniles for transfer to another pond if I catch them). The SMB population is healthy and replenishing itself with no problems.

But the SMB do not do a great job of controlling the BGxRES. (I am sure they have an easier time swallowing, if not catching, YP.) I remove 400-500 hybrids every year by angling (it's a half acre pond) and over the last several years, the BGxRES population has pretty much stayed steady. (The YP population is steady or perhaps slightly increasing.)

Now, (thanks to feeding) I do have what could be considered to be a trophy BGxRES situation going on:


But I think given the higher fecundity of straight (not that there's anything wrong with that) BG, SMB alone will not provide sufficient predation to produce a trophy BG situation for you. You will probably need to assist the SMB in reducing BG numbers by heavy angling/seining and/or introducing a secondary predator (HSB might help out IF there is a large amount of open water for them to work in).

Let the games begin.