Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose HSB.....friend or foe?

I'm kicking around the idea of adding 6-8 small (10-12") HSB to my HBG pond this spring. Just as a bonus fish, something different for the boys to try for. My concern is that they will dominate the HBG at feeding time, much the same way as CC would do. You guys that have BG and HSB together, do you see any issues in that regard? Do you feel that a program where raising trophy BG was the primary objective would suffer if HSB were added to the mix, even a small number like I'm contemplating?

From what I've seen in a HSB/BG/LMB pond, the HSB tend to stick to the deeper water, and only feed on pellets that drift over the deeper water. The LMB hit the pellets in both deep and shallower water, but prefer the deeper water. The BG prefer the shallower water to feed on the pellets, smaller BG in the shallowest water, as the water gets deeper, the larger the BG size. I'm talking about coming up to feed.

I agree that they generally feed over several feet of water and so when i feed I start witha scoop out about 15 ft in about 5FOW, that the HSB destroy within seconds, then i throw/sprinkle pellets arpund the dock and the gills go nuts, the key is to sprinkle so they are not in a big floating mass as thats when the HSB will crush it in a quick surface take. The CC come in after a few minutes and slurp up the random stry pellets left, its been working out well, whats ironic is the crappies and yellow perch will be right in with the HSB with zero fear although they are too big for them to eat. Also what is cool is that i have a few large goldfish ( 12") and they will get right in wih the HSB also with no fear. Only the baitfish( FHM and GS)and smaller gills get scared off aound the 2-4lb HSB.

Salmonid