So my .75 acre pond, steeper banks, higher P levels was stocked with 150 2-3" BG and 20 lbs FHM early April. I just wanted to do a trial run to see if they could handle the poorer water quality. After a month the FHM were very active and Doing well. In mid May I introduced about 50 4-8" BG from my neighbors pond. I know they were BG because he killed and stocked his pond a few years ago. Early June I saw the larger ones spawning. I saw some that appeared to be 3-4" and healthy looking around the edge. Since the water has gotten more green and tan I have not seen any. I have fished with red worm and tiny artificial bait. I cannot get a bite to check their size and health. Should I add more BG or another sunfish this summer or wait until fall? How many should I add? My goal is to add some bass next spring or fall. I am in no hurry to add the bass because I will be adding 10-12" bass from another pond that was stocked 2 years ago. I may scratch the bigger bass and go for fingerlings but I will figure that out later.

I would definitely add some RES into the mix, they help by keeping parasites in your fish under control.

I just fished it for a few mintues and got a few bites. I also caught these beauties this morning. I will attach a picture later

Little BG

Chris, are you sure those are BG?

I agree with sprkplug. The small sunfish pictured Jul 03 9:11am do not look like pure BG. I think there are some other sunfish genetics in those small fish. As they grow larger, their characteristic or features will be easier to see. Can you get any pictures of some of those previously stocked?.

I'm certain the larger fish were BG. When I bought 150ish 2 inchers they were supposed to be BG. A few of them were quite a bit larger and looked more like RES but I am no expert. I wasn't too worried because I knew they were sunfish just maybe not 100% pure BG. What makes you say not BG? They look similar to what was stocked only maybe a timy bit more yellow on bellies.

When I enlarge that picture both small sunfish have a thin light colored margin on the back side of the black gill flap. I am pretty sure this is not a photograph/camera aberration since it is on both fish. Pure BG even ones of that size in the picture will have a pure black gill flap with no light back margin. Collect some more and look at them very closely. Also the fish on the right looks to have a thin light colored outer margin of the anal fin; a feature of HBG and not common on pure BG. Also the body pigment pattern that I will call speckling is not what I am used to seeing on small BG, although there is variation of pigment pattern on BG from different areas of the country. I see the 'speckling pattern common on small GAF. I think your small fish have some GSF genetics in them. Catch and photograph some of the larger BG you consider standard BG. We will provide opinions.

I'm thinking GSF influences also.

So I'll just go ahead and ask another beginner question. If some GSF got in the mix and I have BG in the pond will they cross and make hybrids? Do RES and BG cross? I've been considering adding some RES in this fall.

They may hybridize naturally, or you might've stocked HBG in addition to, or instead of, "regular" BG. RES and BG can and do cross naturally also. We have many such fish in our ponds, and find them to be a welcome addition.

Those look like the natural hybrids I have been getting out of my sediment pond. They have the vertical stripes of a BG but the orange translucent border (of a GSF) on the opercular tab.

I started transferring some of those about that size early this spring to my main pond and am now catching a few in the 5-6" range.

If you like catching BG Chris I think you will like the hybrids. I do.

Thanks for the information. Hopefully I get some good reproduction and good growth before I add some bass.

If they are HBG then they will not reproduce enough forage to support LMB.

I plan on adding 150 RES and 300 BG this fall.

If you have a significant number of HBG in the mix check their size berfore adding any BG. The larger mouth of the GSF geenes and the agressive nature and feeding of HBG could make the BG additions into lunch if they are not big enough. Catch some by hook and line or trap and make sure the BG you are stocking are at least 1/3 the length of the HBG or more. For example, if they have grown to 6" by fall, they might be able to eat a 1.5" or even 2" BG.

If you only have a few hybrids and mostly BG, not so important. The HBG are predators. Just stock big enough fish so they can not eat most of them.

Where can I get more RES and BG now? Why not stock in the summer instead of waiting until fall?

I would stock them as soon as possible being aware that handling and hauling fish in hot weather stresses them a lot more than in cooler weather.

If you are going to get them off a fish truck that have been on the truck for five days maybe summer is not such a good idea. If you can get them directly from the fish farm with a reasonably short distance to your pond I see no problem. The fish farm may not want to harvest them in stressful hot weather. A reputable fish farm should be able to tell you if what you want and the distance you need to travel with the fish is ok to do now. They should tell you if you need to wait till cooler weather.

The hot weather of summer is not the best time to handle fish. Higher stress levels. That said, it still might be a better option than waiting and having to buy larger fish.

The experts should have better advice than me. I am just repeating what I have learned here on PBF. Only fish I transfer in hot weather is from one of my ponds to another and I have had no problem doing that in the summer. Hauling them in a truck or bag for hours on end might be a different deal though.

Thanks

I just stocked 500 BG and 100 RES. I am 100% certain that I got the real deal and no hybrids. I drove to Andrys this morning and picked them up. He only had the BG in 3-5" and RES in 3-4" but the price was about the same as I paid else where for 1-2" fish. I thought the fish looked extremely well fed and healthy. Super nice guy and really down to earth.

Good deal! Those fish will be spawning in no time. Let us know how they do.