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Hybrid Sunfish Option
In small
ponds (< 1 acre), the predator:prey balance is difficult to maintain and
the bream can get overcrowded and don’t grow to catchable sizes. An
alternative is to slow bream reproduction by stocking hybrid sunfish. Since
they are crosses of two different species, hybrids typically have physical
characteristics of both parents. Other desirable features of hybrids include
fast growth, reduced reproduction, a willingness to eat floating fish feed,
and an aggressive feeding style that makes them easy to catch. Hybrid
sunfish cannot be used to replace bluegill in a traditional bass/bream pond
because the hybrids do not raise enough young to adequately feed the bass.
The most common hybrid sunfish in the Southeast are the bluegill or redear
crossed with green sunfish. These fish are not sterile, but 85 to 95 percent
are male, so reproduction is decreased and overcrowding is less likely. Since
there is still a small amount of reproduction, largemouth bass should be
stocked along with hybrid sunfish (See Table 1). Hybrid
bream fisheries should only be started in new ponds or ponds that have been
renovated. Stocking hybrid bream into ponds with existing fish populations
is basically a waste of money. The hybrids will have to compete with the
existing bream population for food, which means that they will not grow very
quickly. In addition, bass may eat the hybrid fingerlings that you stock.
To make sure that the hybrid sunfish don’t get overpopulate, you should
release all bass that are caught. When hybrid bream stocked correctly
and fed, they will weigh an average of 0.4 pounds after two years.
If fish are not fed, the hybrids will weigh only about 0.25 pounds. A
commercially prepared floating catfish feed is recommended if you plan on
feeding your fish. An automatic fish feeder can also be considered
and will save you time. The feed should be small enough for the fish
to easily consume. Additional information on feeding your fish or a fertilization
program for your pond can be found in MP-360
Farm Pond Management for Recreational Fishing.
Table 1: Species selection
and stocking rates (fingerlings per acre) for hybrid sunfish ponds.
|
Pond Type
|
Hybrid Bream
|
Largemouth Bass
|
Channel Catfish*
|
Grass Carp**
|
Unfertilized
|
400
|
25-50
|
0-75
|
5
|
Fertilized
|
750
|
25-50
|
0-150
|
5
|
Fed
|
1500
|
25-50
|
0-300
|
5
|
* Optional
** Optional for weed control
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