Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Type of bluegill?

About to stock bluegill. Coppernose or hybrid? These are for big bass. Which should I stock? It sounds like the hybrids get bigger? Would they be more fun for our kids to catch? Or to eat? Anything else to consider?

Coppernose will give you more offspring as 90% of hybrids are male, so they're not recommended as a primary source of forage for bass. Also, the general consensus is that hybrids only grow bigger during the first two years of their life with lots of feed while BG will outgrow them after that.

Since you didn't state where the pond is located that you want to stock, a correct answer can't be made. If in colder climates, CNBG will die during the winter. Hybrids won't.

Guys keep in mind that any size/growth comparison of HBG and BG needs to be made apples to apples. Compare HBG only to male BG for a same basis comparison.

As a source of forage there is no comparison - its BG by a mile.

eric, do CNBG grow at the same rate as BG if all other conditions were the same? (even gender)

It depends on the lake. I will send you a comparison by email. The study was in TX. I did an article on that in PB a few issues back. I will send that also.

Done - look for email.

The pond is in Llano, Texas so I assume from what everyone has said that CNBG would be best.

Also, is it possible to overstock and the BG start to get into the bass's food? Is it very hard to do?

If you're stocking BG for forage, there are two options. Northern BG or coppernose CNBG. With you being in Texas, CNBG can survive and do well where you are at, so they are what I would recommend. However, northern BG can do fine there as well and it is not a problem stocking both varieties.

If your pond is already established with bass, you will need to stock larger fish or the newly stocked fish will be easy pickings for your bass. What size are the bass in your pond currently? It is possible to stock too many BG, but it would be prohibitively expensive to do it.

Give us more details about your pond? Size, depth, age, aerated, do you feed, species currently present, size of those species? If you currently already have BG in your pond, you can add more, but there maybe other species you can add as forage to supplement your BG and/or take predation pressure off of them.

End of discussion, has to be coppernose bluegill.

http://www.overtonfisheries.com/StockerFish/ForageFish/Coppernose/tabid/76/Default.aspx

Todd, he may also want to add some of your tilapia with the CNBG to help take pressure off them until they get established as well... What do you think?

ewest, would you be so kind and share that info? thanks.
scotthanners@knology.net