A hybrid bluegill is a cross between a male bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and a female sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) .
Are hybrid bluegill good for a pond?
Hybrids are great for small ponds with a goal to grow 1-pound sunfish–fast. 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.
How big do hybrid bluegills get?
“The hybrid bluegill grow faster; a condition called ‘hybrid vigor,’ “Fleming said. “And they can get to 2 pounds .” One-year-old fish can reach 8 inches in length, and the fish reach sexual maturity at 5 inches. They have a larger mouth than most sunfish and they feed aggressively.
How do you identify a bluegill hybrid?
The coloration of a Hybrid Bluegill is usually going to be green/yellow/olive , whereas bluegill can be purple, green, tan, and orange on the belly. Hybrid Bluegill will often have fluorescent streaking around their mouths, which comes from the Green Sunfish crossing.
Will hybrid bluegill reproduce in a pond?
The hybrid bluegill is a cross between a bluegill and a green sunfish. This produces a viable (NOT STERILE) cross. Hybrid bluegill will reproduce within your pond ! ... This provides an abundance of fertile females for the 90% male blue-green sunfish population to reproduce with.
How much should I feed my hybrid bluegill?
Hybrid Bluegill – HBG – FINGERLING FISH Hybrid Bluegill
It will feed on a commercial feed with annual growth rates of up to 1/2 to 3/4 pound per season .
What do you feed a hybrid bluegill?
Hybrid Bluegill has a large mouth and trains readily to commercial fish feed. Hybrid bluegill do grow at phenomenal rates on commercial feed. They will hit artificial bait as well as crickets, worms, etc. and very essay to catch.
Can you have too many bluegill in a pond?
Folks often ask–can you have too many bluegill? If your goal is growing big bass, the indisputable answer is– no . ... Initial forage stocking included 7,500 small bluegill per acre, plus 250 redear and 10-pounds of minnows per acre. Minimum recommended bluegill rates for a quality bass fishery are 1,500 per acre.
What is the lifespan of a hybrid bluegill?
Because of low reproduction, they should be stocked with a forage species such as Fathead Minnows. This will ensure that there is sufficient food to sustain a healthy Largemouth Bass fishery. The Hybrid Bluegill have a 4-6 year life span.
How fast does a hybrid bluegill grow?
Annual Growth Rate
Hybrid bluegills can grow at a rate of one-half to three-quarters of a pound per growing season , according to Dunn’s Fish Farm. Faster growth rates occur with colder water temperatures and adequate food supply, such as insects and smaller fish.
Will hybrid bluegill eat minnows?
They will consume fry under 1 inch long to include minnows, suckers, and even other bluegills. ... While bluegill will eat a number of adequately-sized baitfish, they seem to prefer munching on fathead minnows the most. Mosquitofish will also provide excellent forage for large adult bluegills if available.
What is the world record bluegill?
The Biggest Bluegill in the World
The world record bluegill recorded by IGFA or the International Gamefish Association was caught in 1950 at Ketona Lake, Alabama. This bluegill weighed in at a whopping 4 pounds 12 ounces and came in at 15 inches long with an astounding girth of 18-1⁄4 inches.
Can you put bluegill in a pond?
Bluegill can also be used to keep algae mowed down in a Koi pond or water garden. They will coexist very well with all of your pond critters like Koi, goldfish and turtles. You will even notice them eating the same food you are feeding other pond fish.
How big of a pond do you need for bluegill?
A good fish pond should cover no less than half an acre and be six or eight feet deep over at least a quarter of its total surface area.
What animals eat bluegills?
Largemouth bass are the most common predator for bluegill but other fish such as walleye, muskellunge, striped bass, white bass, etc. will eat bluegill. Terrestrial predators include the great blue heron, kingfishers, raccoons, and humans, to name a few.
