If you truly want some exciting times fighting big bluegills, I'm going to go all in and recommend the HBG.....and I don't often do that.
1) Your goal is line-snapping fishing excitement with bluegills as the targeted fish.
2) You're willing to feed supplementally, and restock as necessary.
3) Your pond is just the right size for a limited recruitment bluegill.
4) Your willing to use LMB as a control measure, rather than a targeted species.
I've never caught a coppernose bluegill, so I can't speak directly as to their fighting ability...but I suppose that it is on par with a northern BG of comparable size. What I do know, is that a HBG will put a similarly sized northern BG to absolute shame with it's power, especially on light tackle. Hands down, no comparison. I'm talking holding-your-breath-hoping-the-line-holds, kind of excitement.
HBG grow very rapidly for the first couple years, and will outpace our native BG pretty easily. Ultimate growth potential still belongs to a "regular" BG however.
I have found that getting them to a pound and a quarter is easy, and a pound and a half is fairly common also. Above that, and it becomes more difficult. Two pounders are pretty rare, and claims of three pounders have been just that where my efforts are concerned...just claims, with no proof forthcoming. I have absolutely seen photos of three pound native bluegills though!
HBG are not for every pond, but your circumstances sound pretty close to ideal for utilizing hybrids rather than native, at least to me.
