After re-reading this thread which is very informative, I noticed that ewest on 29/01/10, 7:34pm noted "A common suggestion is to shoot for 4 to 1 poundage of forage to top end predators." I think this value or ratio of forage pounds to predator pounds is too low and depending on ones goals is outdated.
I think in a balanced fishery the ratio should be more towards a minimum of 5:1 to best of 10:1 (forage pounds to predator pounds). I think very few sport fisheries have forage to predator ratios this high which is why pellet feeding works so well. Feeding artificially helps increase the forage ratio to ultimately boost the predator numbers and or sizes which is the goal of most pond meisters. I suggest the higher forage : predator because ecologically the food chain energy transfer pyramid uses the 10:1 ratio. In nature food biomass decreases around 10 times for each energy - food level step up the food chain.
Growing a one pound bass is a good example. It is generally accepted that it takes 10 pounds of forage to grow a 1 pound predator. Thus if our pond has what appears as an excess of forage more representative of the 5:1 ratio we will see more examples of optimum growth of the predators.
As another example. Greg Grimes (Aquatic Environmental Services) when he wants to grow trophy bass, under stocks the number of predators and increases the number or amount of forage fish, thus creating a food chain forage : predator stocking ratio approaching the 10:1 value. When this is done in southern, south central US ponds, Greg has seen LMB bass grow from fingerling to 3 - 5 lbs in one year. It is amazing what surplus forage can produce. When this occurs the big trick or challenge then for the pond owner or fish manager is to maintain this high forage to predator ratio as the fishery ages. This is where many fail at maintaining this optimum balance, probably through greed to maintain too many big impressive predators per acre. IMO the proper maintenance is done primarily by proper fish harvest and habitat management and NOT by supplemental stocking
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/20/14 06:56 PM.
