Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations HBG and BG

I have lots of 3 to 4 inch BG,BG adults and HBG. What happens when you put HBG and BG together? The fishery seems fine right now but in a couple of years once I stock more HBG will the fishery ruin.

HBG do not reproduce GSF. HBG reproduce a mixed genetic spectrum somewhere between a BG and a GSF. Some of their offspring may look more like BG, certainly some of their offspring will certainly look more like GSF...

Mixing pure BG with HBG may result in mistaken ID between them and a resultant cross between them. This is particularly true if you have crowded spawning conditions and murky water. If you have fairly clear water and spawning areas that aren't crowded, the crossing will be reduced but will still occur.

Over time , absent stocking more HBG , the BG will overpopulate the HBG leaving a dominant BG population. There will be some Fx HBG but they will dwindle over time. I do not recommend mixing BG and HBG on an ongoing basis (stocking more HBG) at least where the #s include more than just a few HBG (small %).

I stocked 50 HBG in my pond that has BG back in 2007. None have been caught in over a year.