Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose Stocking HBG in a pond with BG and LMBa good idea?

I am thinking about adding 300 HBG 3-5" into a 3 1/2 acre pond currently stocked with BG RBG and LMB, CC. Is this a good idea or will it mess up the BG population ? I know they are hybrids and spawn very little , but worried about cross breeding

I think the possibility exists for crossbreeding with your BG, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it's an absolute guarantee. What are the population dynamics like right now, concerning numbers and sizes of fish present? If you have bigger LMB, what's to stop them from hammering the 3" HBG into oblivion? What are your reasons for wanting to add the HBG? Are you unsatisfied with your current BG's progress? Do you feed your fish, as I don't think HBG will achieve all that they are capable of without supplementing their diet. If you're not feeding, doing so would help your current BG population also, perhaps reducing or eliminating the need to introduce the hybrids.

I'm not suggesting that you should or shouldn't add more fish, I'm just trying to get a handle on what you have now, and what goals you're trying to reach by adding the HBG.

Sorry I couldn't be of any more help, hopefully someone will chime in with some better ideas.

Expect at least a little interbreeding between the BG and HBG. I've found it to happen in almost all instances where the two are stocked together.

You can read some of what the State of Mo has to say about it here. PDF file on stocking Hybrids by MO.

I never have stocked the HBG after the fact. I have stocked them originally with all the same fish you have with no problem caused to the regular BG. The HBG seemed to crossbread themselves down smaller as time went by. The original HBG did get to over 3#.

One thing I think you have going right is stocking them in the cooler less active months. You should have a larger percentage provide predation from the LMB that way.

3 lbs? That would be one huge HBG....I have yet to see one over 2 lbs, although I'm giving it my best effort..

Yeah I'd like to see a 3# HBG..

You know my saying "Pics or didn't happen"

Alabama is know for growing big BG. The World and Alabama state record for a regular BG is 4 lb 12 OZ.

BG I know and believe me I wish I had not lost most of my stuff to a house fire several years ago. I do know one guy that had a video at one time of one he caught from my place way back when I had some of the Early Georgia giants that grew so large. Maybe he will find it and get it to me one day. I remember Kens Fish hatchery boasting about the 5+# that came from them about the same time I recieved those of mine that grew so big. My later GG never did reach the size of some of the first i bought.

I haven't read much good on the GG on here.. Wish I had a few to give a shot.. I'm hoping for quite a few 2lbr's(BG) next year.. I plan on bumping up the feeding program and trapping alot more smaller 5-6" BG

The GG became a hot item in the late 90's and had produced alot of results back then around here from mid 90 stockings . I herd alot of things also later on and I even went away from them myself. I often wonder if something happened when they got so popular and went into mass stocking. Here is a pick of the 5# that came from back then.


BTW I think you can get there.

I've seen photos of BG over 3 lb ..... It's the 2 lb. HBG that I'm looking for, and I believe they're out there....probably someone on here has grown a few to that size.

I admire the accomplishment of the angler who caught that world record fish, as well as the slightly smaller one that also came from Ketona a few hours earlier. I will respectfully say that I wonder if the qualifications for fish identification back then would agree with today's more rigorous standards. Either way, it was the catch of a lifetime.