GSH do compete directly with BG for food. Although the niche that BG and GSH have isn't the same, there is substantial overlap between the food that adult GSH feed on and what BG feed on.

Food Habits:
GSH-Invertivore/herbivore; particulate feeder; midwater and surface feeder (Simon 1999). Main foods: Cladocera 90% by volume, flying insects 20%, chironomid pupae 30%, and filamentous algae (Keast and Webb 1966). Consume zooplankton, restricted to about 1 m below the surface, during the lowlight hours after sunset and just before sunrise (Hall et al 1979). Will filter feed on smaller zooplankton, which may be beneficial when larger zooplankton are less abundant, or light level precludes capture of larger zooplankton (Ehlinger 1989).

BG-Larvae and juveniles of 5-10 mm in length frequently ingest Cladocerans and copepod nauplii (Werner 1969; Beard 1982). Individuals reaching 20 mm have varied feeding habits, primarily consuming Cladocera (Chydorinae) and adult copepods and insects (mainly chironomids; Beard 1982). The primary diet of adults in various water bodies is comprised of aquatic insects, crayfish, and small fish, although zooplankton serves as the main food item in other bodies of water (Mittelbach 1984; Carlander 1977). This species also ingests aquatic vegetation including algae (Carlander 1977; Sublette et al. 1990). Based on the following data, Goldstein and Simon (1999) list first and second level trophic classifications as invertivore and drift; trophic mode listed as water column/surface: In Canada, populations primarily consumed insects, crustaceans, and plant material, with 50% of food volume consisting of chironomid larvae (Keast and Webb 1966); in late summer, when insects were not as abundant, 22% of diet was plant material (Moffett and Hunt 1943; Goldstein and Simon 1999). The fish louse, Argulus, has been found in bluegill stomachs, suggesting individuals may perform �cleaning� function on infected fish (Carlander 1977).

To some the fancy words may be hard to understand, but what you can take from that is there is substantial overlap between the food sources of BG and GSH. How much GSH affect BG growth rates is debatable.

In ponds with a reasonable LMB population, I have never seen a GSH population get out of control for extended periods of time. These ponds have ranged in size from 0.1 acres to 8 acres in size. Often, the original stocking of a pond will lead to GSH being a problem as the first GSH stocked have high numbers reaching 6"+ due to a lack of initial LMB predation. All the LMB first stocked are too small to feed on the original stocker GSH. After that original batch of GSH die of old age, usually around 5 years, subsequent generations see far fewer individuals reaching such large sizes as most fish are removed by the now larger LMB who are able to prey on GSH of all sizes up to all but the largest of adults. The few GSH that do reach the large 6"+ size do not cause nearly the issues as that first generation stocked. There just aren't many of them to cause issues.

The following is my opinion based on my experience and research. Take it for what it is worth!

If your goal is to grow trophy sunfish, leave the GSH out of your pond. There is no need or benefit for GSH in a trophy sunfish pond. GSH will compete directly with your sunfish for food and take predation pressure off of them. Meaning less food to go around and more mouths surviving to eat it.

If your goal is a balanced pond the stocking of GSH is acceptable. However, original stocking numbers should be limited to 2 pounds or less per acre of typical 2"-4" sized GSH. In balanced ponds, I personally like to start off with small numbers of large adult GSH. Usually around 20-30 GSH per acre in the 6"-8" size range. This prevents the stock piling of numerous large adults. Those initial 20-30 have high survival rates as the bass are too small at initial stocking to feed on them. They spawn, but their YOY aren't too large to be fed on by the initial bass stockings. So that initial super generation where large numbers of GSH reach 6"+ in size doesn't occur. Finding 6"+ GSH is the trick.

In trophy bass ponds, I like to stock 5-10 pound per acre of GSH leaning more towards 10 pounds in areas where TFS are not an option. In areas where TFS are an option I lean more towards 5 pounds per acre. I am a big fan or forage diversity. Although I think TFS are a better bass forage, I still like to have GSH available as a prey species for bass in ponds with TFS. In northern ponds where TFS aren't an option, GSH are typically the only species capable of reaching sizes in excess of 5" that are fusiform and not spiny minus which can successfully spawn in ponds except for perhaps LCS which require very specific pond conditions, GS which can be stocked once a pond has a large percentage of 16"-18"+ bass in it and goldfish which IMO are a poor choice as a forage fish in most circumstances.