Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Hybrid stripers?

It sounds like you have a lot of predators in the same pond. The shad are definitely helping feed all of those mouths, as bluegill would struggle as the only forage option. An abundance of small bluegill without larger ones is an indication of high bluegill spawning success or a low supply of larger food items to grow bluegill to advanced sizes. Either way, I would not blame the shad for that. It is hard to pinpoint what exactly is going on with the interaction of so many specie, but I would look to the crappie as the culprit more than any thing else. To that end, a good quality directional fish feeder would be the simplest way to grow bigger bluegill without effect to any of the other dynamics of your pond. The hybrids might help with any excesses created in your "open water"
fish from the boom and bust cycle of crappie spawns, but again, it is hard to say for sure with so many different fish interacting. I have not seen negative impacts from hybrids on largemouth bass in the ponds that I manage with shad and feeding programs.