I agree with 4corners that the GSF are beneficial in the catfish/panfish scenario. It's up to you. Unless you want LMB, there is no need for them if you have a large catfish focus. Neither LMB nor large catfish will do as well as they could without the other.

In addition to points already made, the GSF help the BG in your pond grow faster and larger. They have a big gape and help to crop smaller BG and occasionally hybridize with BG. The hybrids have improved early vigor that helps them outcompete the parental species in the their 0-year. Because the hybrids are mostly males and generally are unsuccessful in reproducing when the parental species are present, overall numbers of panfish YOY are inhibited by the presence of both the hybrids and the GSF.

The LMB will also help you grow larger panfish and are better for that purpose than catfish. To grow large panfish, the predator needs to be large in number and small in size and focused on the smaller sizes of YOY. This prevents few panfish reaching the 3" size. Catfish are 18" long before they are predatory to a significant degree. They will focus on >3" panfish primarily. This isn't a problem if you are focused on larger catfish because there will be plenty of forage for the big cats. Even so, BG can stunt with catfish as the lone predator and if you wanted to also harvest panfish you need small predators too. The GSF are filling a role in your bow that is similar to 4" to 8" LMB but with the added benefit of being prey for large cats. They of course, will not be as good a predator as LMB but the effect of increasing panfish size and reducing overall number will still be present. So if it is catfish you are focused on and if you do not really want LMB, then it may behoove you to release the GSF and focus on BG and hybrids for panfish harvest.

Last edited by jpsdad; 04/15/20 04:31 AM.
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