Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations lmb eating cc

Will lmb eat 6-9 inch cc at the same rate as they would eat 6-in inch lmb. I have an enormous "infestation" of <9 inch cc that I was hoping the lmb would hammer.
thanks
docg

Probably not. I asked a similar question a few years ago, and I believe that Bill Cody stated that once the CC get above about 4-inches, their pectoral and dorsal fins get to big and dangerous for the bass to safely swallow. I dumped in a bunch of 4-5 inch CC, and it seemed like most of them made it in a heavily infested LMB envirionment.

No not at the same rate because of the increased height of the CC due to the spines Cat mentioned. LMB will eat them if hungry and not gape limited as they are easier to catch than a same sized LMB (slower).

ALSO it depends on the size of the larger LMB and what else is present and at what density for the larger bass to eat. LMB are very opportunist oriented meaning they eat what is moving and most vulnerable. IMO stocking CC in the fall would result in the greater survival rate because the bass would be eating fewer fish per day due to colder water. However one could argue that stocking CC in colder water would mean the CC are slower moving and more vulnerable to predation by bass greater than 15"-16" long. If the pond has a fair number of bass greater than 15"-16", I would do everything in my power to be stocking CC that were 8"-10" long if I wanted a large percentage of the new CC to survive.

Eric and Bill,

Excellent advice -- and thank you very much for providing the additional information. This is one of those subjects I think a lot of people have questions about, whether trying to control the catfish family (including bullheads), or trying to add put-and-take CC into bass-heavy ponds.

Ken

Good info from everybody. thx

A 6 inch cats measured to tip of the the long forked tail is tiny skinny little thing compared to a bass of same length. I disagree strongly with the thought that stocking 4-5 inch CC would make it through bass predation. Im sure it happens but not our expereice

We routinely attempt to talk clients from stockign 6-8 inch CC into bass heavy environments into stocking 8-11 inch. The girth is neraly doubel on a 10 inch vs. 7 inch CC. The weigths per 1000 on 6-8 inch is aroudn 65 lbs/1000 on 8-111 inch varies from 125-175 lbs/1000. We have had many clients never see the CC again when stocking 6-8 inch sizes. These are ponds that have a high population of 10-12 inch bass. It does not take the 15 inch bass to eat a 7 inch CC much less a 4-5 incher.

Doc you ask at the same rate probably not as a 6 inch bass will go down much easier. However your bass are very well capable of eating a 6-9 inch CC.