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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 43
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OP
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 43 |
Maybe a dumb question. Why would there be a school that big? Is that unusual? Is it a food thing? Are they all together chasing the BG around because of the ruckus caused when a few start busting the top? But I would think they would separate afterwards. Is it a cover thing? Is it they are all the same size? Plenty of young BG around the entire lake but not a whole lot of cover but some scattered around. They seem to all stay together and just swap cover spots around the bank. Water is still a little clear but that's another story. I can watch them all leave the same tree tops around my dock.
Last edited by SteveC; 06/13/17 03:34 PM.
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,689 Likes: 281
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: 13,689 Likes: 281 |
I had stocked (20) 5" LMB in a newer quarter acre pond that had bluegill, shiners and fatheads in it already, plus (3) LMB in the 10-12" range.
The (20) new LMB schooled together for several weeks.
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 2015
Posts: 2,424 Likes: 19
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Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,424 Likes: 19 |
In our COE lake, large schools of 8-14" LMB and spotted bass travel all over foraging for shad.
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 491 Likes: 13
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Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 491 Likes: 13 |
They often school when smaller than say 16". I would wager that LMB are more social when "young" than people might imagine. Especially if habitat and food are readily available. I watched a pair of males bed up and spawn near each other every spring for 5 years now.
Mat Peirce 1.25 acre southeast Iowa pond LMB, BG, YP, WE, HSB, RES, BCP
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Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 43
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OP
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 43 |
In our COE lake, large schools of 8-14" LMB and spotted bass travel all over foraging for shad. This sounds about right. I watched 24 come out of one brush pile on the bank at the dock when I feed the BG. They haven't been there all along just started hanging out there. Pretty cool to watch! Thanks everyone. They are all 12 to 14 inches.
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Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 411 Likes: 3
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Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 411 Likes: 3 |
The LMB's for certain can work as a team to capture more evasive prey. One charges in forcing other prey to dodge, then the other bass charge in after dodging individuals that can not respond as quickly or appropriately as they did with first attack.
Some similar may also operate with BG's as they swim about looking for their own eats. The swim a few feet, stop and look around, then repeat. They do not make smooth changes in direction or go after things when first contact occurs when they are already moving. Some insects like Tiger Beetles do the same. When moving they can see to navigate but must stop to process movement of others around them.
Last edited by Jim Wetzel; 08/27/17 08:00 PM.
Aquaculture Cooperative Research / Extension Lincoln University of Missouri
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