Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose New 1A Pond Bass vs Hybred bluegill?

Help- Need a source for a water thermometer - Pond is 8' max depth & does it matter what depth you read - will start fertilizing at 60 degree's Thanks Harvey

Good day, everyone. Sorry to dredge up an old topic, but I was doing some work the last couple of days that related to some topics on this particular question.

First, I read a couple of papers on reproduction by F1 hybrid sunfish. I'll post the references below for those of you who are truly interested, and may have access to a research library.

Laarman, P. W. 1979. Reproduction of F1 hybrid sunfishes in small ponds. The Progressive Fish-Culturist 41:145-147.

Wills, P.S., R.J. Sheehan, and S.K. Allen. 2000. Reduced reproductive capacity in diploid and triploid hybrid sunfish. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129:30-40.

The gist of both papers was similar -- that the hybrids have a MUCH reduced reproductive capacity compared to pure bluegills. Incidentally, in the Wills study, the bluegill X green sunfish hybrid exhibited less reproduction than the bluegill X redear hybrid (with both FAR below pure bluegills). Of course, the question always remains: what was the purity of the original parents.

NOW -- I still don't mean to imply that the future generations of F1 hyrids are OK. In both studies, there was reproduction, and Greg Grimes clearly discussed the small size of most of these future generations.

I also read a new study this weekend from Southern Illinois University biologists that substantiated another point made by Greg on this thread (hybrid striped bass vs. largemouth bass). The SIU study compared predation efficiency of largemouth bass and hybrid striped bass that were feeding on bluegills. In tanks with "structure" (in this case, artificial vegetation), the largemouth bass were more than four times more efficient at capturing bluegills than were the hybrid striped bass. In open water, with no structure, efficiency was similar between largemouths and the hybrids.

So, I thought some of you might find these "tidbits" of interest.

Dave

Sorry to digres, but what is the name for fish that strictly relate to cover like bass and pike? Also technicaly speaking in what category do walleyes fall?

TyW - I'm almost afraid to start answering your question, because I don't know a simple answer!!

Generally, the LMB and NOP are typically considered to be more of an ambush predator. They like to be near cover, and then capture prey that venture too close. I've seen videotape of young northern pike, and their bodies always contort into a typical S-shape just before they lunge forward. The hybrid striped bass is a more effective open-water predator. Both parents, the white bass and striped bass, will at times drive schools of shad (gizzard or threadfin) up to the surface. Then, you have one of those "classic" fishing opportunities where the gulls let you know where the fish are.

Every time you generalize, of course, people can think of exceptions! :-)

Let's see if anyone adds any other "terminology" to this thread. I'm afraid this is the best I can do.

Dave

Oops -- forgot the walleye part of the question.

Walleyes don't fit well into either mode. In the northern lakes where I now live, they often feed extensively on yellow perch, minnows, and even insects. They will feed extensivly on rocky bars or even in submergent vegetation or trees, when such habitats are present. We have other lakes in SD without much structure at all; in these lakes, the walleyes tend to roam a lot more. We used telemetry studies to see substantial differences in movement rates between lakes with complex bottoms vs. simple, bowl-shaped lakes.

When I worked in Kansas, where the primary prey source was young gizzard shad, the walleyes often could be found suspended in the water column, feeding on shad. I can remember fishing in one lake that had thermally stratified in the summer. We trolled with shad raps that ran just above the thermocline (temperature transition zone), and caught both walleyes and channel catfish! Obviously, everything "thinks" that channel catfish must be on the bottom. However, I've learned never to say never!

Dave