ML :

I think you have raised another good question when you said : "However, the F1 is good only for one generation...what happens after a couple of years and spawns, what characteristics will the offspring have? Time will tell."

I have seen info that indicates good results and other that reports mixed results with some concern. My memory of the reports were that as you would expect that over time the mixed genetics from the parent brood fish show a varity of genetic drift in the resulting generations of offspring.

This is why I think it is very important to get F1s from a source like Overton who have hand selected their brood fish for good traits and can tell you about their brood fish and most importantly you can trust what they say.

If you do all of that and over time incounter bad genetic drift then you know you have done all you could. Then you can take some out and put in some quality northerns and a few Fla. and create your own combo of F1 , Fla and northerns and mixes.ewest