Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations TEXOMA Strain HSB Hatchery Experiment

Many PB forum members are aware of my interest in introducing Hybrid Striped Bass into smaller Texas farm ponds, instead of the traditional recommended stocking of Large Mouth Bass, eliminating the intensive management problems required to keep LMB populations under control.

From the beginning of the search for an answer to pursue my HSB goals, I discovered Todd Overton of Overton Fisheries to be interested and willing to take the business risks to accomplish this goal.

At my urging and persuasion, Todd agreed to develop a hatchery program for the culture and propagation of hybrid striped bass.


2005 Expermental HSB Hatchery Program:

Our first attempt on this program in March 2005 resulted in a setback that resulted in intensive research and experiments to insure success in 2006.


We were aware that the state hatcheries used the traditional striped bass x white bass, known as the Palmetto HSB, and later learned that the commercial producers used the reciprocal white bass x striped bass hybrid, known as the Sunshine HSB.

This process is now recognized as a standard for commercial producers due the recognition of stress factor of female striped bass, whereas female white bass have a much greater tolerance for stress.


2006 Experimental HSB Hatchery Program:

March 7, 2006, twelve (12) male Striped Bass and four (4) White Bass were collected by hook and line from Lake Texoma, and transported to Overton Fisheries hatchery and fish farm at Buffalo, Texas to begin the hatching process.

The following week weather conditions deteriorated to near freezing temperature, delaying the program until water temps improved.



Water temps moderated to optimum 65 degrees F on Monday April 3, 2006, and the fish were injected with the required hormones to induce ovulation, and white bass eggs were stripped and fertilized with striped bass milt on the evening of Tuesday April 4, 2006.

Very little information regarding the white bass x striped bass has been published, therefore striped bass ovulation stage photos were used for microscopic egg development analysis. Striped bass x white bass documents ovulation up to 36 hrs after hormone injection.

Eggs developed to 15 hr stage with no further development, and fresh white bass females were collected from Lake Limestone on April 5th and injected with fresh hormones.

The male stripers remain in good condition.

Progress Report
03-12-06

Todd Overton:
�We had some fungus on eggs, but treated them today. One other female ripened overnight and was so dang full of overripe eggs that we could have filled the farm had we been ready at the right time.

Our problem here with the hatchery is and may always be that we are extremely busy with fish orders and deliveries, farm management, and hatchery stuff all at the same time.�

Timing of the ovulation and fertilization process is very difficult to determine and is based largely on experience.
It is a matter of hours and sometimes minutes for success to be achieved.

The rest of the story will follow.

George Glazener

Great stuff, George. Thanks for posting.

I had no idea you guys were doing this. That's awesome!

Interested to read the rest of the story...and curious, were the test fish, i.e. the stripers and white bass, selected for special genetics such as larger than normal or trophy fish?

Also, wondering what the purpose of the test is....to develop a better HSB?

Looking forward to reading more.

Sounds like a PB magazine cover story to me! And I look forward to reading about it.

George and Todd - an outstanding job . Please keep us posted on the progress and the questions that come up.

The 2006 Hybrid Striped bass experimental program is considered a success, however incomplete.

Much valuable knowledge and experience has been gained, working in very narrow time frame. The biological time clock has expired for collection of additional brood stock for further experimentation.

The purpose of this experiment is to determine feasibility of an independent commercial fish hatchery to gather SB and WB brood stock, hatch, propagate and grow out HSB on a practical basis.

My reason for pursuing this project is more sentimental that scientific.
Texoma is my favorite lake and Striped Bass are my favorite sweetwater/saltwater fish, and I would like this genetic strain HSB in our ponds, and others if possible.

Overton�s motivation is more likely on the scientific side, and as a businessman and entrepreneur, an additional species for his hatchery and fish farm operation

My impression of the most important knowledge gained in Phase II, is the ability to recognize microscopically, the ovulations stages of the white bass.
Available literature provides photos of striped bass eggs, but no photos have been found for the white bass.

I am of the opinion that timing is the most important element in the HSB hatchery process, and the necessity of on-site availability of the fishery biologists to recognize various critical stages of ovulation and fertilization.

Valuable knowledge and experience has been gained in the process

I want to express my appreciation to Todd Overton for allowing me to participate in this project, and with his permission, will be available in 2007 to provide leadership in collection of brood stock.

George Glazener
N.E. Texas

George.....what size ponds are you wanting to stock HSB in? From my knowledge of HSB and Wipers, they are eating machines !!! Could a pond say under 2 acres support HSB ? It is my understanding that they cannot breed, so you could just not stock very many but you would have to stock more regularly. You obviously know what you are doing by the research you have posted.

I told my Dad this year when we embarked on this project that I was completely prepared for failure. Anything short of the production of 7"+ stockers, start-to-finish, on the farm "could" be considered some degree of failure.

This year we stripped and fertilized eggs about an hour too soon, so they weren't quite ready and did not hatch. Remaining white bass females died from handling stress and exposure to prolonged tranquilization. But we are thrilled with this particular failure. Considering the lack of available guidance through the white bass female ovulation process, hormone injection rates, and hatchery procedures, we have learned a lot in the past 2 weeks.

Now we know the visual appearance of ovulated eggs by the naked eye and under the microscope. We know where to collect the striper male broodstock (George and Texoma) and the white bass females broostock.

Just like farming of any crop, you have to wait a full year to try again. Thanks to George for his help and thanks to all the folks who purchased advanced size HSBs this year. Demand for these fish is the driving force behind our efforts.

We feel it would be beneficial to produce a southern strain of HSBs for stocking Texas ponds. Production of HSBs from the hatchery phase to the pond stocking phase must be accomplished in the future, so that we don't have to rely on other farms for small fingerling stock.

Below are a few pics of white bass broodstock before hormone injection. Clint is holding a questionable world record yellow bass...2lbs-10ozs. Sorry there aren't more pics of the project...hand-stripping occurred at 3 am and our photographer was getting some needed sleep.

George.....what size ponds are you wanting to stock HSB in? From my knowledge of HSB and Wipers, they are eating machines !!! Could a pond say under 2 acres support HSB ?


Mike,
Definitely, a 2 acre or less pond can produce trophy size, line busting Hybrid Striped Bass. There has been much discussion on the forum on this subject � a couple of links are posted below:

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000199

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=000344

The �secret� is in stocking adult size HSB stockers in order to survive LMB predation � or stock fingerling sizes in new ponds. They will not reproduce, avoiding the problems of overcrowded stunted LMB ponds

Thanks to Overton Fisheries for �growing out� adult size HSB stockers for supplementing population on an annual basis.

They are excellent table fare as you are aware.

George Glazener
N.E. Texas � acre and 2 acre ponds