Forums36
Topics40,902
Posts557,113
Members18,452
|
Most Online3,612 Jan 10th, 2023
|
|
9 members (anthropic, Boondoggle, Fishingadventure, phinfan, jpsdad, Brett B, catscratch, jbird5986, Freg),
644
guests, and
171
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 237 Likes: 4
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 237 Likes: 4 |
Just as I thought I had things figured out.
Last year I remove 30Lbs of predator fish, Bowfin, FHCF, & bass. So far this year, I have removed 60lbs, mostly FHCF, from our 3 acre retention pond in North FL.
I expected to see a rise in the numbers of all sizes of bream. I have seen, so far, just the opposite. Around some of my structure the small & intermediate size bream have disappeared. In the past the populations in these areas has always been constant. I have never had many LMB & have never seen but a very few YOY LMB. The few LMB I do have seem more visible & aggressive than in the past.
I have almost 100 lbs less of predators, each 2lbs & above. Why have I not seen at least a stabile bream population?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
|
Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 1 |
Could it be that you just had a real successful spawn in 2006 and you're seeing predominantly those fish? No matter what your management practices are, you're going to have successful recruitment periodically.
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475 Likes: 264
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
|
Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 21,475 Likes: 264 |
It is not always easy to see them. They may have moved to deeper water or be busy spawning. Mine disappear from time to time and then show back up. Have you tried a seine survey ?
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939 Likes: 268
Moderator Lunker
|
Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939 Likes: 268 |
Speculation:
Perhaps the removal of the large dominant predators (previously eating and terrozing smaller bass) enabled the LMB to tackle the small/intermediate BG much more effectively. Your observation on increased LMB aggressiveness goes along with this. I would expect an increase in the number of small to intermediate LMB as well, but perhaps the have been too busy reducing the BG population to be observable by angling.
What is the condition of the larger BG?
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 237 Likes: 4
Lunker
|
OP
Lunker
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 237 Likes: 4 |
Last year, I did relative weights on some of the BG I caught. They were WNL, within normal limits. The 8" BG & above look very nice when I throw feed to them this year.
|
|
|
Moderated by Bill Cody, Bruce Condello, catmandoo, Chris Steelman, Dave Davidson1, esshup, ewest, FireIsHot, Omaha, Sunil, teehjaeh57
|
|