Stocking up on fish for your pond can be fun and exciting, but if you're thinking of adding bluegill, knowing some of the key differences between hybrid and standard bluegill will help you maintain a balanced pond.
Here's what you need to know about them and how to best stock them in your pond. Besides being the state fish of Illinois, standard bluegill are well known for being a feisty, delicious pan fish that thrive in streams, rivers, lakes and ponds. They grow to between 6 and 10 inches long, and appear olive green with an orange underbelly.
Their uniform blue-black markings on their gills and fins give them their "bluegill" name. The issue with standard bluegill is they reproduce quickly and can take over a pond very fast if there is not a suitable predator fish population keeping them in check.
A hybrid bluegill is a cross between a male bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and a female sunfish Lepomis cyanellus. A hybrid bluegill is an easy-to-catch, fast-growing game fish that makes a fun addition to recreational ponds and lakes. When the male bluegill and female sunfish mate, the resulting brood is 80 to 90 percent male. As a result, reproduction slows and the population count is kept in check - but you still have a good number of tasty fish growing in your pond. Whenever stocking any type of bluegill in a pond with other game fish, keeping the population in check is key.
Due to their aggressive feeding habits, Hybrid Bluegill can reach up to 3 pounds in size. Larger specimens have been documented in managed environments such as a private pond or lake with the correct balance of predators and regular feed cycles. No, Hybrid Bluegill are not completely sterile, but they do have a very low reproduction rate due to most individuals being male. Approximately are females, which makes perpetual reproduction limited. In order to sustain populations of Hybrid Bluegill, restocking is typically required every years.
Additionally, as natural breeding occurs the hybridization diminishes as do the traits. By the 3rd or 4th generation of hybridized offspring, the species reverts back to the similarities of a Green Sunfish and loses much of its size and growth characteristics.
Hybrid Bluegill are caught using the same methods as fishing for other sunfish-related species. Use light tackle line, small hooks, and live bait such as crickets or worms, or lures such as micro-grubs, jigs and soft baits. Hybrid Bluegill are not hook-shy, and regularly hit baits on the surface which makes them a lot of fun on the fly or topwater! Hybrid Bluegill are the most popular stocked species of sunfish in North America. These fast-growing and aggressive fish provide angling opportunities and make a fine meal.
Always consult with an aquatic professional or fisheries biologist. For example, Hybrid Bluegill will often compete with other native sunfish species. If you intend to stock regular bluegill, redear sunfish or even black crappie, the Hybrid Bluegill will compete with these individuals for food. This can lead to stunted fish populations. Also, contrary to popular belief the Hybrid Bluegill is not a good choice for bass forage. They are not a forage species and should not be stocked in lakes managed for bass.
This brightly-colored, greenish panfish has hot-orange rimmed fins, is aggressive, and readily consumes fish food. Hybrids outcompete bluegill because their mouth is five times larger than a bluegill. Bigger mouth, bigger meals.
It also means hybrids compete in a larger food chain of insects and small fish. They definitely have an advantage over bluegill, especially in new ponds. They cohabitate well with channel catfish.
For long-term success, restock every few years. Stocking rates vary from to 1, fish per acre, depending on water quality and if you feed them. Aerated ponds may support slightly higher amounts. There are dynamics at work beyond simple pounds of fish.
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