Third the opinion on it being a HBG.
Too tall vertically in relation to the mouth size.
Here is a what I would call a pure GSF caught last night.
Second picture is of a GSF trying to eat another GSF I was using as bait.
Another thing that is evident when holding a GSF but not evident in a side picture view is a GSF is a wider body fish than a BG or hybrid. A pure GSF is not as tall as a BG but the body and mouth is wider. The HBG will be somewhere in between. Scales are also finer than a BG. The skin/scales are really noticeable difference when filleting them.
Edit: the first fish went back in the main pond to grow bigger. The second one is waiting in the holding pen to get filleted. I generally will return any GSF that could potentially reach trophy size but cull the rest.
Don't feel bad about it being a hybrid. That fish has the potential to grow into a really nice fish. Even nicer than it is already.
Second edit: I just noticed the swivel snap is open in that second picture. I did not notice it at the time. But that explains why when I turned around and cast it in my main pond and either a decent size LMB or CC hammered that small GSF live bait, I retrieved a straightened out swivel snap.
I thought the swivel was defective. I think instead the operator was defective.
