George & ML,
It’s great to here from two experienced HSB growers!
I believe we have deviated from the original “tilapia thread” but please indulge me this post.
George – I revisited your post from a couple years ago and it matches my experience with HSB thus far. One month ago I would have bet there was not a single HSB that survived the previous years stocking. We are just now catching a few in the 8 inch range; not much growth for a year as they were stocked at about 6 - 7 inches in 2005. We did manage to catch an eleven incher last weekend! What a thrill. Some of Bruce’s finest!
These fish are far different than pellet feeding rainbows
When the feeder goes off, an occasional YP will rise vertically from the bottom depths to take one pellet and then return to the bottom? This is very unlike a rainbow that will remain near the surface gobbling up pellets until all are gone!
The HSB on the other hand do not lie under the feeder waiting for feed dispersal. Maybe 10 minutes after the feeder goes off a violent feeding frenzy may take place 50 ft. from the feeder where pellets eventually drifted. This behavior is new to me. I suppose it’s due to their schooling behavior.
I am very excited about HSB as a new and different sport fish. I am very interested in mortality of this fish due to water temperature extremes, low DO, and lower water inflow rates due to our continued drought also.
Thanks,
Ed
