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Joined: Oct 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
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Late last Summer, year 5 for my 1/2 acre pond, I noticed that my bass weren't looking as fat as I'd like them to be and my minnow trap wasn't filling nearly as quickly as in years past. I started feeding Aquamax largemouth and removed a couple of channel cats. This year I've continued feeding ALM and switched from GFC to Aquamax Grower 400. I have read a great deal on removing slot limits of fish but have a hard time discarding a fat and healthy bass even if it's only 6" long.
Since early summer I've been removing all channel cats, a total around 50lbs. I've also been removing all bass that are thin no matter the length ranging from 6" to 15", about 25 fish. There seems to be obvious weight differences between individual fish within different generations, I'm assuming the heavier fish are simply eating feed while the others are relying only on forage. I've been doing the same with bluegill but have only found a couple of thin ones and have removed just a few for dinner.
Removing only the underachievers seems to be working well right now. Are there any drawbacks to taking this management approach?
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen W. Hawking
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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I don't think so, and here's why.
You're actually just selecting for pure fitness. What's the worst that can happen? If your growth rates decrease, or if one particular species starts to get difficult to catch you can change your tack.
The way I see it, all you're doing is making the rich richer--and that's a good thing. Good genetics management, and good management for "matching" your particular fish to your particular environment.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
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Thanks for the reassurance Bruce.
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen W. Hawking
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,688 Likes: 281 |
Is there any relationship of the fatter bass and the areas where you actually feed?
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Sunil, my pond is only 1/2 acre.
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Stephen W. Hawking
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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I see, but wasn't there some info. posted on the forum about how far fish would travel to feed?
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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Joined: Mar 2005
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Yes there is info indicating that a feeder (normal feeder not a mini feeder) will attract medium sized fish (not little minnows) from a 3 acre area.
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Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
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IIRC, "100 feet" is rather accepted as a distance that fish, at least BG, will travel to a feeder. Hard to get much farther than 100 feet from a central location in a 1/2 acre, unless it's sphaghetti ranch shaped.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Sep 2003
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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OK then. Let the death knoll chime for those underachievers.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."
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