stocked some of these last February (2005) in a small two acre farm pond. Anxious to see how big they have grown when we begin fishing it in the spring. Google “Georgia Giant”
Bream - ounce for ounce, the hardest fighting fish in the world
Bill - If I had enough ponds to play with I’d like to have some of those and coppernosed, too. Unfortunately, with our shorter growing season the hybrids seldom get to 2 pounds and the coppernose can’t compete with our ‘wild’ bluegill.
I envy you - Keep us posted.
billboytx,
I stocked 200 of them last month in a 1/4 acre pond designed for kids. I’m really interested in how your fish are growing.
Do you also have a high number of predators to keep the Fx fish in check? Some folks have reported that the successive generations (Fx) of the GG’s (F1) are an undesirable offspring and may even require pond renovation in some cases after 3 to 5 years.
I would sure be interested in any results you can share with us. Thanks.
p.s. how many did you stock, if you don’t mind saying?
[This message has been edited by Meadowlark (edited 03 January 2006).]
Meadowlark, we stocked 500. Have other hybrid gills in there and a fair # of largemouths. Will keep you posted on the results.
holy smokes that fish is huge. i only wish that i were in oklahoma again: i’d stock one of my in-law’s ponds with some of those!
i’ll be real curious to see how you guys do with your stockings.
With some hybrids they will not breed and have offspring that is true to the parents. Will the Ga Hybrids breed true?
Shirley
Shirly,
The GG’s breed and have offspring true to the parents. The problem is depressed hybrid vigor that comes with successive Fx generations of the GG. For that reason, when stocking GG’s, it is recommended that high numbers of a predator, LMB or HSB, be present to dispose of the Fx offspring. When you raise GG’s, the target fish is the F1 original stocker and all others are best removed by a predator. In my small pond with GG’s I stocked one HSB for every 5 GG’s.
A 5 Lb. bluegill?!!! I would have a heart attack catching one of those (but I’d die happy)! I think a bluegill in the 5 pound range would border on the dangerous!
Anybody have an idea where to find these mini-behemoths down here in Ga?
Semper Fi!
Gigmaster,
Don’t count on 5 pounders, but you can reasonably expect larger than normal BG.
Do a search on Ken’s Fish Farm and/or Georgia Giants and they will show up. If you call them, talk to Deb and tell her hello for me. Thanks.
Sure thing meadowlark2. Thanks for the info, and I’ll along your comliments when I call.
Semper Fi!
Those things are humongous (for blue gill). They would probably be a blast to catch. Are they only in certain states?
The folks in Georgia have a patent on that fish because it is unique. It is much like the Coke cola recipie in that it is a closely held secret as to what goes into the GG.
Ken’s fish farm does deliver to several states in spring and fall(they delivered to me in Texas last fall). As I mentioned above, call Deb to get on the list if you think you would like to try some…and tell her hello for me. Thanks.
To anyone interested in hybrid BG:
I’m running an experiment this growing season with the Georgia Giants(GG), a hybrid BG to see if they even come close to their claimed growth rates and aggressive tendencies
I stocked 200 GG on Dec. 3 in a small 1/4 acre pond and am attempting to “measure” growth throughout this growing season. Every couple of months I will catch two or three fish, record lengths, widths, weight and also a picture to document. I will also report periodically on an aggressiveness test comparing the GG to nearby ponds with CNBG and native BG.
Anyone interested in receiving this data via e-mail every other month or so, during this growing season, just so indicate in an e-mail to me. I’ve always wanted to know if these fish would indeed perform as claimed and intend to find out.
Great googlymoogly, that thing’s huge!
Something like that’d probably snap my poor little 2wt in half!