After 13 years, I had my big puddle electroshocked yesterday for the first time. Very cool process, and my assumptions about my forage and LMB numbers were pretty much confirmed.
Although my LMB were extremely healthy, the imbalance of 1 to 4 pound LMB in my puddle had skewed my CNBG sizes. Lot's of small CNBG, and ton's of 9-10" CNBG and RE's. The 3-8" CNBG numbers were way low, and were caused by the overpopulation of 1 to 3 YO LMB. We removed right at 180 pounds of LMB, and my puddle should be better because of it. It has been impossible to remove this many fish by hook and line alone.
Big thanks to Clint Wilson and Walt Overton from Overton Fisheries. Cool guys, and well worth the cost. Not only did they remove LMB, but helped me figure out how to get my puddle back on track.
Some of the pics from yesterday:
Big Red Ear, we had tons of these.
A couple of colorful CNBG.
Clint and Walt doing their thing.
Hey, about my buddy Allen – he’s got this fish management scince down to a “T”….
He knows exactly what he is doing and how to get there - double digit LMB pond!
Reworked forage pond – ½ acre grow-out fun pasture pond and the prettiest 10 ever lake that I have ever seen - heck, y’all have seen the pictures..
He has a plan on a ruled notebook that he checks off to-do projects one at a time.
Culling plan conversation that I overheard – electroshock every other year – heard some talk about future Camelot Bell LMB, and of course you know about his OTS CNBG program.
If he can avoid D-I-V-O-R-S-E he may be able to pull it off…
When Mrs. H. saw those buckets of pure Florida LMB come off that shocking boat – there was trouble in the air……killin’ her babies….she is accustomed to walking down to the lake and catching 20-30 overcrowded LMB per day …..She was about in tears….
I had to tell her DD1’s favorite story about how many cows you can put in a pasture and think it helped – I hope so – brother Al is in a heap of trouble.
Another secret exposed – Allen is a very modest person and it takes a while to dig personal stuff out of him, so before you guys start giving advice, you better ask for his advice….he’s a reformed BASS Tournament fisherman turned fly fisherman.
OK Al, I blew your cover, please forgive…
George
