Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose HSB questions ?

I stocked HSB last year.They are up to 12 to 14"'s now.I am seeing alot of small BG.I am starting to think that they are not the best predator.They love fish food and eat it like crazy.Do you think as they grow and their gape gets a little bigger that they can keep the BG in contol?....Joe

Bowjo, HSB MAY keep Hybrid bluegill under control, but it would take an awful lot of HSB to control northern bluegill.

What is the size of your pond? A couple or even several same-sex Largemouth Bass would control Northern Gills.

My original plan was a HSB and HBG pond.Somewhere last year that changed on me and the BG took over.My pond is only 1/4 acre.I put a couple of 12" male[?] large mouth in this spring.There is at least one or two very healthy SMB in there over 2#'s....Joe

If you stop feeding the HSB pellets, they may become better predators on them. However, their growth rates would most likely drop greatly... Utilizing same sex LMB is the best option in a small pond such as yours. You may want to also consider utilizing a fyke net.

Are the HSB skinny, normal or fat looking for their size? How small are the small bluegill your are seeing? HSB are eating machines, I would think that if a HSB can find a fish and it would fit in its mouth it would eat it. How much and how often are you feeding them? Is there a lot of shoreline cover in the pond? How about offshore cover?

The HSB are very healthy aggressive fish.I believe last years BG hatch just got to far ahead of them.....Joe

That is the problem with HSB, they just don't have big mouths... BG don't have to get much size to them before they become too difficult for them to feed on. Also, BG and HSB generally don't share the same habitat. HSB are open water schooling fish. BG are structure hugging close to shore fish generally.

how many HSB were initially stocked? If I recall right I believe HSB at least up to 5lbs prefer to only eat BG up to 3" because of the BG body shape but I would think if the were hungry enough they try tp eat bigger BG. It may be harder to establish a good population but you could try diversifying the food chain with golden shiners or threadfins if you can find them. Just keep feeding the HSB to possibly give the baitfish a chance to grow and spawn. If that doesn't seem desireable and you don't think the HSB are eating the BLG as desired you could just go with it. View the HSB as a put and take fishery, load up with 12"LMBs and also grow larger BGs.

I am very satisfied with the HSB growth and health.The only worry I have is that I seem to have too many BG.I have alot of healthy great looking fish.This small pond has no areation and I am afraid it might crash....Depending on the survival rate,there should be 2 largemouth,3 smallmouth and 2 spotted bass also.I guess the worst thing that could happen is that I end up with a LMB and BG pond.Which would be normal for my area....Joe