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Joined: Apr 2006
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Lunker
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Thanks for the nice comments...I have put these on http://www.bigbluegill.comTo be honest, I just did what I was told. It was the experts on this forum and personal guidance from Todd that made all the difference. The stocking rates, feed, and structure ideas came from here, while Todd specifically targeted my size pond and goals. I want to have a good LMB fishery, so I built the pond with hills, dips, points, etc..., and included a gravel field, rock piles, tire bundle, and sunken Christmas trees. I also have geothermal coils in bottom. I think the real key is that I started out with 118 hungry mouths (50 feed trained native LMB, 18 FLA LMB, and 50 HSB) and 100 4-5" CNBG from Todd. As the predators grew bigger, they probably ate lot of the 3-5" CNBG and babies, so when the Tilapia (10 lbs) kicked in, the larger CNBG had little competition or pressure. We fed AQMX 500 in the early spring and switched to 600 when we started catching fish with bigger mouths. I will say that the FLA LMB and YOY native LMB are always just under 1.0 RW while the feed trained LMB and HSB are above 1.2 RW. This leads me to believe I am short on small/med forage. My pond gets no runoff water, as I have raised banks to increase depth. I use my well water to keep it topped off (not cheap BTW). I think this led to very clear water and a huge chara problem last summer. The weeds probably helped the CNBG escape predation, as you could barely move through the thick stuff. I used aquashade in Oct/Nov to destroy the chara, and at one point could see down 9 ft. With Todd's advice, I am going to fertilize this year, as my water has already cleared from 18" to 40+" visibility as it warmed up (70F surface temp last week). I think this will help with the smaller end of the food chain and get more 3-4" CNBG in play. As Ewest noted, the growing season is long here. I don't think I have gone 2 days in a row without feeding since Thanksgiving. Without this site and folks like Todd I would be lost. Thanks Again !! Pond at sunrise, 3/4 acre Chara problem in early summer -- it got worse !! 3.5 lb HSB Tilapia after 3 months growth
Last edited by archer; 03/03/09 10:57 PM. Reason: added photos
Thanks,
Darryl
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Your fish are exceptional. Thank you for continuing to share your story.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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You got some great advice, but you had to implement it, and you have done one helluva job. How much feed are you dispensing, or, are you hand feeding? I keep forgetting, I dont live at my pond, and they always eat much more than the feeder throws out, when I hand feed afterward. Have you eaten any fish yet, or strictly C & R. What are the coordinates of your pond? When are you at work?
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http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=12483&Number=143152#Post143152In this thread Archer tells some of the story of these fish. I dont mean to stop the thread, just helping Archer from having to type it all again. Also I dont want to speak for him because he may have changed many things from the time of this post. Still some great fish. And please we always love to hear how the story has progressed.
Get out and fish.
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Last edited by overtonfisheries; 03/28/10 11:25 AM.
It's ALL about the fish!
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My order is in for late fall/early winter pick-up..... 2009 class OTS CNBG ...
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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Thanks jakeb for finding that thread...I forget to do that !!
We did eat these as I mentioned in the linked post, simply because I thought these large bulls would hinder the spawn by bullying smaller fish...maybe my fertilizer plans this year will remedy the low supply of 3-5" fish.
I hand feed AQMX 600 each evening about 30 minutes before sunset. I am up to about 3 lbs each day, but I believe I need to go higher as that is gone in about 8-9 minutes. The feed trained LMB are getting pig-ish ahead of the spawn.
I am seeing many more CNBG that are equal to or bigger than these feeding very heavily when water > 68F. I never thought about tracking CNBG growth (just quantity), but will now each time one is caught and released.
Also plan to harveset all small LMB that we catch, which should help keep the mid-sized fish count up.
Thanks,
Darryl
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The mth prior to spawning is IMO the most important time to feed because of the marked need for increased nutrition. Keep in mind that in locations where BG spawn several times a year that this period can run from Feb to Oct. Plus the first part of this period usually coincides with water temps ( 60-75 F) that produce maximum feeding , growth and metabolism.
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Jeez Todd, those fish look great!
JHAP ~~~~~~~~~~ "My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." ...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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Lunker
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It's ALL about the fish!
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Wow! Those are beautiful!
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Here are some pics of males isolated today, fish that originally were obtained from pure Florida stockes. I love the orange and white tipped tails combined with copper banding and other color combinations of these pure CNBG. Todd. those are the best photos of "pure" Florida CNBG I have ever seen. Absolutely beautiful....
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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That last BG has the fewest sidebands I've ever seen.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Does fewer vertical bars mean anything to you Theo? I've heard that pure coppernose have fewer and more distinct vertical bars.
It's ALL about the fish!
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Does fewer vertical bars mean anything to you Theo? I've heard that pure coppernose have fewer and more distinct vertical bars. That is certainly the case with these OTS CNBG.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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BUMP... Todd - Eric - Aaron - Archer - Anyone? 30 September, 2009
Last edited by george1; 10/03/09 09:13 AM. Reason: 30 September, 2009
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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This thread covers the question in detail. Todd is right about less bars. They are not however always visible. See this thread above for pics and this pic http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthread...e45a7#Post66844
Last edited by ewest; 10/03/09 08:08 AM.
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Here’s a couple of OTS CNBG from yesterday’s fishin’. They were pale and white when they came out of cold deep water but when left in live well for a while the color returned. They had cream edged tail fins and brighter color but faded before pictures taken. Increased feed so hope for a12 incher this spring
N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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They're either growing really fast for you, george, or that scale is in centimeters. The bottom one doesn't look any more mature than a 5" BG!
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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They're either growing really fast for you, george, or that scale is in centimeters. The bottom one doesn't look any more mature than a 5" BG! Theo, you took the words out of my mouth. Tiny head for the length. Very young.
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Agreed, my first reaction was that fish has alot of growing left to do!
Get out and fish.
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Yep not grown yet. Should have some data on mine in a week or so.
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N.E. Texas 2 acre and 1/4 acre ponds Original george #173 (22 June 2002)
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