The Hybrid Bluegill is a cross between a male Bluegill and a female Green Sunfish, and is sometimes referred to as a Hybrid Sunfish. As a result of the cross, the Hybrid Bluegill is ~80-90% male, and has a reduced reproductive potential, making it an ideal choice for those ponds prone to Bluegill stunting. The down-side is that their lack of reproduction means that Largemouth Bass are likely to run out of food when stocked in conjunction with Hybrid Bluegill.
Hybrid Bluegill Advice:
The Hybrid Bluegill is a voracious feeder, depending mostly on insects, zooplankton and very small fish. For this reason, they should only be stocked in ponds with a strong forage base. They will feed aggressively on fish pellets so you can set up automatic feeders to boost growth rates, but you may need to supplementally stock minnows for other fish in the pond that may not be pellet trained.
Generally, we recommend 250-500 Hybrid Bluegill per Surface Acre in ponds 2 acres or smaller for an initial stocking. You should plan on restocking them every few years because the population will gradually decline due to their reduced reproductive potential.
Before you make the big decision whether to stock Hybrid Bluegill or regular Bluegill, we highly recommend that you read our article Bluegill vs Hybrid Bluegill. One final notes, we don't recommend stocking both regular and hybrid Bluegill, because they will crossbreed, and then who knows what you have.
FOR A PRICE LIST, plus ordering and availability info, WI & IL Customers can email us at info@keystonehatcheries.com. Sorry, but we do not sell fish outside of WI or IL at this time.
CUSTOM FISH STOCKING RECOMMENDATIONS: email us with some info and we will recommend a stocking for you.