I have a 1.5a pond, with a mix of CNBG and pure BG. I hand feed once a day.
My biggest BG are ~8", with the very biggest of the big ones being only ~9".
Of course I much prefer my BG to look like Bruce's, so I'm always scheming.
I seem to have good spawns, and am not overly predator heavy at present. I believe I can sacrifice some 09 class BG to improve my genetics, and maybe cull every spring.
My 09 class varies all over the place. Some are very small, some are pretty robust, already around 3". Of course the variation is partly because some were from earlier spawns and some from later spawn. However, some are obviously bigger due to being dynamic feeders.
My question is, what if I trap large numbers of my 09 class and cull them? If I cull the short and/or skinny ones, would it be worth the effort? How soon could I expect to see an overall size improvement? Would it be closer to 2, 3, or 5 years? Has anyone done casual culling and seen positive results?
Many thanks,,,
