The HSB has only recently been recognized as a predator fish suitable for small ponds in Texas.

I began stocking HSB in Nova pond in the spring of 2003, stocking about 30 of the 4 to 6 inch fish each spring and fall.

The growth characteristics of the HSB in Nova pond have been such that the fish will double in size the first growing season usually reaching about 1 pound, then double in size again the second season reaching about 2 pounds, then reach about 4 pounds after the third growing season.

Below, typical HSB after two seasons of about two pounds and typical HSB during the third growing season of about three pounds. These fish are spectacular fighters on light equipment, especially on fly equipment. They serve as the "virtual" catfish in Nova ponds providing an excellent eating, hard fighting, put and take fishery. They do need artificial feeding in order to achieve the weight gains mentioned herein. The eventual size of these fish in Nova pond is yet to be determined. Note: the seller of these fish stated " they should easily reach 8 to 10 pounds in your pond"

Update Summer of 2005:

One disturbing characteristic of this fish, as relates to its appropriateness for small southern ponds, has developed. When the HSB in my ponds reach a size over about three pounds, they become extremely vulnerable to angling mortality during high temperature months. More specifically, during the summer of 2005,  every HSB caught over three pounds, independent of tackle used, in water temps above 80 degrees did not survive the experience. More research this summer will determine if that was an anomaly or a flaw of this otherwise great fish. If you can't catch a HSB over three pounds without killing it in the Texas summers, it has very little value in terms of meeting my pond objectives. Stay tuned for next summers experience

Update Summer of 2006: This summer in our part of Texas was very hot and very, very dry. Once again, any HSB that I caught over about 3 pounds did not survive. More disturbing perhaps was the discovery of a few skulls of the largest HSB in the ponds....they were dragged up to the house by my black lab "Duke". I suspect HSB mortality due to water quality problems or simply that the HSB is unable to be sustained in my ponds above certain weights in the summer. Would very much like to hear from other HSB pond owners, especially in Texas, to see if anyone else experienced any HSB mortality this summer. 

Update Fall of 2006: The HSB that survived the summer drought and high temps are enjoying the respite from the trying Texas summer. Pictured below are a couple of about 4 pound HSB taken this fall. No large class fish over 5 pounds survived the summer.

Update 04/14/07:

Due to the problems encountered with this fish last summer and the previous summer before that and the corresponding tremendous success of the LMB during the same period in all ponds, all HSB will be removed from all ponds on Meadowlark Ranch.  Pictures of these fish as they are removed will be provided from time to time.

Update 05/26/07....removing the HSB

SUMMARY OF HSB EXPERIENCE on Meadowlark Ranch:

The original intent of stocking these fish in this experiment was three-fold: 1) to find a pond predator that would provide fast action on medium(up to 5 pounds) and large size fish( 8 to 10 pounds was the sales talk from the fish seller), 2) to overcome the hook shy conditioning prevalent in other pond predators and 3) provide good eating fish for the family. Sadly, the HSB  fulfilled only objective 3 and failed very badly on the others.

Relative to objective 1,  the HSB grew initially very fast but were soon surpassed in size by LMB in the same pond. Several LMB ranging from 6 to 10 pounds have been caught in the same pond while the HSB have only reached 5 pounds. Further, HSB at that size (over 3 pounds in fact) experienced 100 % angling mortality in this pond in summer...meaning if I wanted to raise a HSB over 3 pounds, I had to stop fishing from May to October...not a good thing! In addition, several HSB in the 4 to 5 pound class died without any angling pressure last summer.

Relative to objective 2, it was a non-starter from the beginning. Why I ever thought a fish wouldn't become hook shy after being caught in a pond, I don't know. If every HSB that was caught was removed (no catch and release) then perhaps the hook shy condition could be avoided but then only small fish would be available.  HSB become conditioned to artificials as fast or faster than even LMB and the only way they can reliably be caught are at the fish feeders...again not a good thing!

Relative to objective 3, the HSB provided excellent table fare...at significant cost because of the requirement for artificial feeding.

One last comment, the HSB prefers high-protein pellet food, but if it is not provided in sufficient amounts,  the HSB will put tremendous pressure on a forage base in a relatively large pond that has deep open water and not a lot of structure. My experience in Nova pond consistently showed that as HSB were removed, the LMB grew larger.

To anyone reading this and considering HSB in your pond,  I hope you experience better results than I did. East Texas is a tough climate with water temps above 80 degrees for many months and very dry summer conditions which do not provide a flushing for the pond.  The requirement for artificial feeding of HSB can greatly further degrade the water quality in summer months, even in aerated ponds such as this one. If I had been a little smarter and listened a little less to the sales talk, I would have remembered that  both parents of this fish, the Striper and White, prefer slow moving open water when in very large lakes.  With that heritage, it should not have surprised me that they would fail in an East Texas pond.

Post Script 08/13/07:

I have now confirmed the death of small HSB without any angling intervention. The fish pictured below were found this evening floating in Half Pint pond. I check the ponds every day and had checked this pond that morning without seeing anything unusual. By tomorrow, the next day, there would have been no evidence of these fish dieing and I would have never known it had happened. This is the first positive confirmation of small HSB mortality during summer. Previously, only fish over about 3 pounds had died during summer temps, but I always suspected other HSB were also dieing. Clearly, HSB are not suitable for my ponds and Nature will remove them in due course if I don't.

Post Script 08/14/07:

The HSB die-off has continued today with 5 additional floaters showing up....in the picture below 4 of them are in the foreground and one is in the background in the upper left corner. I wanted to remove these fish anyway and it seems that Nature is accommodating my intents very well. Notice the surface rings of  TGG's feeding on Gambusia...all is well in the pond except for the HSB.