Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Fish ID help

I'd say at least 2 years old.

Thanks Everyone!!!

As I suspected, the villain was in there for a long time. Live and learn. I was thinking it was at least two years or more too.

Update time on the situation with the GSF. I will start with the summer of 2013. The RBT grew tremendously well. I attribute that to them feeding on the GSF thru winter and spring. Looking back on that summer, I now feel the GSF was not under the best of control. The reason is because in early summer we had a one in a 50/100 year flood. The pond overfilled into back acres of property and also went over the dam. I did notice in the pools of water left behind lots of small fry, but by the time I was able to put time into checking them, they were all gone. I think the kingfishers and herons got them. The water stayed high for may weeks after, making it difficult to see what was really going on. I did not notice any LMB spawning or BG, but thought that with the pond flooded I was just not able to see them, and perhaps they were done by that time too. So come fall, I got more RBT to work on the few GSF that were left (or so I thought). And they are a blast to have in the pond too. When I stocked those, I also added some more RES, but didn't add LMB because I thought they spawned ok.

That brings us to this summer(2014). The RBT didn't grow as well, but it was a long winter. And besides, it made sense that if the GSF were diminishing the trout wouldn't grow as well. Sample fishing around the pond was looking good. I caught a few BG that to me was showing success. Slightly over 8". I don't think I have ever caught BG as big as that. Definitely LMB and BG on beds. All seemed good.

Then here comes the GSF, anything under 3.5" seem to be them. Why just them and nothing else. No sign of BG or LMB from last year spawn, or this year. Bill Cody said there is a possibility that the GSF are eating all them. My LMB are now in the 12- 14" range, and they probably don't want to mess with the small GSF. So, I decided to add some small bass again. At the hatchery, they didn't have 4-6' size, 2-4" just didn't seem like a good idea, so I added 30 LMB 6-8". They were feed trained, so I shut down the feeder for the next two weeks per Cody's recommendation. So if each bass eats a GSF/day, that will add up over the summer. More than I could ever catch/trap.

Now I'll wait and see what happens. Can't say yet whether or not the GSF are under control. Sorry for the ramble of history, but I feel that all the different stuff that has happened has contributed to the current results. Every ones scenario will be different. I will also say that I have a heron visiting now too. That may throw a quirk into it. However, will a heron grab everything but GSF? Somehow I find that hard to believe. Long live the GSF, just in moderation.....

Thanks for the update Fish.

I think those larger LMB will still eat the little 2" GSF as they run across them. Why do I think so?

I caught 2 (there are only 6 or 8 LMB in my old pond) LMB, one 13" and one 14". Was totally surprised. Caught them on a small plastic jig while trying to catch any larger GSF. So those foot plus LMB were hitting a small plastic jig less than 2" long in the areas the GSF hang out, along the shore line in foot to two feet deep water. Tells me the LMB were hunting the GSF.

For those unaware, I have been following a similar path as fish n chips (but about a year behind him) concerning GSF contamination. Here is a link to my thread and GSF saga for those in the future that might have the need for GSF management information. 100% green sunfish I think it goes along well with this thread on managing around unwanted GSF in the early stages of stocking a pond.

Contamination is such an ugly word for the fun loving green sunfish.

Dave you need to start a GSF fan club. At least the membership list would not be hard to manage.

JHAP had one going (GSF fan club). Can anyone find the picture of their logo?

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.ph...ite_id=1#import

That thread just dead ended when it was getting interesting. Will have to do some jhap searches later to see how it turned out.

Here is JHAP's thread with the GSF logo. What a hoot!

This link belongs as a source of reference for this thread.
Warmouth vs Green Sunfish

Yolk Sac's advice it timeless. Quote from old thread:
------------------------------------------------
Originally Posted By: RC51
...but you can't beat it if you can get them for FREE!

(Yolk Sac)
I should take this opportunity to point out that herpes is also free, equally hard to control as green sunfish, and elicits the same degree of disapprobation in some circles.
--------------------------------

Now that's funny.

Thanks snrub!!!!

Cody Note: Some of the members here are real creative at being really funny. I love'em all especially when it is about ponds.

Another thread on GSF.

GSF size to keep

Apologies fish n chips. Your thread has taken on a life of its own.

Dang it. I wish you hadn't posted that thread by Yolk using the word disapprobation. That sent me to the dictionary. I just don't have the formal edjucation to handle 5 syllable wurds.

I just skip over them and pretend they are not there or make up whatever meaning I want them to have.

Well I pulled the last minnow trap for the season and the beloved GSF are safe for now. At least from me. The LMB may have other ideas. Still putting 4_5" BG though. Will see what kind of fishery evolves. Maybe I can win that monster GSF contest.

With GSF around, you won't catch a lot of BG. If they get close to the groceries, the GSF whups their butt, takes their lunch money and sends them home crying. Then Mom whups their butt again and reminds that they they aren't supposed to get around those hoodlums that hang out on the street corners.

(Yolk Sac)
I should take this opportunity to point out that herpes is also free, equally hard to control as green sunfish, and elicits the same degree of disapprobation in some circles.

The only thing worse than getting Herpes is paying for it in the first place. However, that's likely the origin of many reported cases - you know, from a "pro". Talk about adding insult to injury.

I was trying to come up with a way I could infer from your statement that the "pro's" are the ones causing our GSF infestation problems. But decided while trying to insult the pro's only mildly I might insult them greatly and thought better of it. So I'll just shut up.

Boy we shut this one down in a hurry. Where's JHAP when he's needed to stoke the puerile campfire?

+1

Bashing GSF just isn't as much fun without JHAP's comebacks....

Here's something to bash for those who don't like GSF.

Picture of what I believe is a RES/GSF hybrid. Anyone think otherwise?

Too young to tell sex?

Sorry for the poor pictures. Phone camera and I must have moved.

I don't know, awful lot of GSF in that photo, with little RES traits outside of the red margin.

I think the second photo shows an opercular shaped more in line with that of a RES. Still a bunch of GSF in there though.

I opened the mouth and it seemed awfully small for a GSF. Bigger than a RES of that size though.

The red on that opercular is quite vivid. I've seen greenies that featured this trait, but don't recall it being as bold as your photos show. HBG may also have some color.

That is what nearly all my hybrids look like. The redish/pinkish border on the opercular tab is kind of translucent.

I figured the one pictured was RES/GSF because the tab is very bold and solid in color rather than being translucent. All my pure GSF have that translucent looking redish/pinkish tab. Also the mouth just had a different look to it. I have not had enough experience to explain the look, but it just looked different than the other hybrids caught.

I suppose this fish could have came from one of the early spawns from my pond, but it would have needed to come from a hybrid/RES cross, so it is more likely it was a mutt from one of my later stockings of RES. As far as I know there are no pure GSF in this pond so it would seem improbable the fish have so much GSF attributes without one of the parents being a pure GSF.

Was a pretty fish. It got transferred to my old pond to grow out. Amazing how much the color looks different in the two pictures. Either it changed that much while I was messing with the fish or the lighting angle was just different in each photo.

I'm seriously considering next spring sticking one single GSF female in my sediment pond along with the 175 RES and 100 CNBG fingerlings I put in it recently. Once the fingerlings get big enough so the GSF doesn't eat them all that is. Just to potentially get a mix of some more hybrids in the main pond. Probably a bad idea, but I'm entertaining it anyway. Probably been hanging around Dave Davidson too much when I start talking about propagating GSF characteristics.

Very hard to tell from the pic. Suggest you look at WiscFish web site at hybrid sunfish cross pics.