Originally Posted By: ewest
Male LMB are smaller and especially in the Fla strain where the differences are vey pronounced. The nonaggressive males will likely not be caught with traditional angling methods. See below from PB Mag Cutting Edge 38

Recreational Fishing Selectively Captures Individuals with the Highest Fitness Potential by David A. H. Suttera et al involving largemouth bass and was called Aggressiveness - it should have been obvious – it’s in the genes . Its main finding was that the trait “catchability or vulnerability to angling” positively correlates with 1) aggression, 2) intensity of parental care, and 3) reproductive fitness. We noted then that it should be obvious to all of us by now that there are possibly other fish traits that are genetic and that such traits are exhibited in multiple ways. Next up , Bluegill boldness (aggressiveness - measured in both the lab and lake. The two companion studies are Boldness and behavioral syndromes in the bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, Alexander D.M. Wilson and Jean-Guy J. Godin in Behavioral Ecology doi:10.1093/beheco/arp018 Advance Access publication 10 February 2009 and Capture technique and fish personality: angling targets timid bluegill sunfish , Alexander D.M. Wilson, Thomas R. Binder, Keegan P. McGrath, Steven J. Cooke, and Jean-Guy J. Godin in Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. Vol. 68, 2011. Noted in these papers are prior studies that provide evidence that boldness/aggressiveness is correlated with fitness , activity level , use of space , anti-predator behavior , mate selection/ reproductive success , foraging and other traits. Based on these and other studies it appears more and more that a large portion of these related traits are genetically linked and heritable.


Thanks for the post ewest. If not by traditional angling methods, so mainly live bait or electro-fishing? If these males are caught, how could someone tell the difference? RW charts or use another form of apples to apples comparisons?

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