The biggest benefit of starting with the fishery combination of HBG, YP, WE, HSB, FHM option is if you decide it is not working. When unhappy with WE-HSB predators, you can very easily switch to the LMB, BG, RES or other combo with LMB. This is because the LMB will always dominate the fishery, and once in the pond, LMB are basically the main controlling fish present due to their high reproductive capacity and behavior. Once in you cannot get them out unless there is a complete pond fish renovation. This compares to the WE, HSB, YP fishery. The WE-HSB essentially do not reproduce thus when you quit ladder stocking them they eventually die out. Very not true with LMB. When YP are used with LMB usually the YP gradually are eliminated by the LMB dominance whereas BG usually tolerate well the predation behavior of LMB. It is all about a reproduction - behavior characteristic of the species.
Consider using RES instead of or combined with HBG. Although HBG have good benefits, they being a reproducing hybrid sunfish, can when improperly managed, degrade into a less than the high quality that you started with. RES very rarely ever are known to cause any problems in a combination fish community. Most often RES display too little new fish recruitment.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/17/20 09:50 AM.
