Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Length for age

Notes. Garling's age/length data is also in the Managing MI Ponds booklet. They say these are rough statewide values. Growth in MI can be somewhat greater where fish are UNcrowded and temp and food supply are ideal. Growth can be slower where fish are overpopulated.

I've seen early spawn fed bgill be 2"-3" by the end of first year. 2nd year with feeding they can be 5-7". However bgill spawned in late summer/August cannot get much bigger than 3/4" by year 1.

Farm Pond Harvest Mag claims bgill with feeding can be 8.5" at 2 yrs. I've observed that once the bgill reach the 7"-8" range the growth slows to 1/2" to 1" per yr. At 9" about all I can get them to grow is around 1/2" per yr. They spend too much energy with reproduction and food doesn't go toward growth or body mass.

I'm not real familar with how fast bass can grow. I always thought that LMB were doing real good in the north to gain 1 pound per year which corresponds to abt 1" in length/lb in the length range from 15" to 20".