Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Is Relative Weight alone enough?

Great question!
For largemouth bass, relative weight measurement is one tool in your fisheries management tool box. The "standard" curve on an x-y graph is called standard because it represents more than 300,000 bass weighed and measured during three decades. But, that curve doesn't necessarily represent "normal" fish for any given lake or pond. "Normal" can range 5-8% on each side of that curve, depending on the season.
Relative weight can be interpreted as a reflection of habitat, but not necessarily of a function of habitat. For example, if I'm feeding channel catfish in a pond with zero habitat, I expect a high Wr, no matter what. If not, I'm not feeding enough, or I have too many fish.
For day to day management of a bass lake, always remember what ewest referenced above...harvest is a big deal.
I'll never forget the first time I met Ray Scott, considered by many in Bass fishing circles to be the originator of "catch and release". We were at a fishing show near Dallas. We met, and I asked, "Do you REALLY believe in 'catch and release'?" He said, "In public lakes, yes! But, in my lake, we remove as many as I think we should, then I double it and take out that many more!" In other words, in his mature lake, harvest is of great importance, especially since his goal is to grow big fish.
For this question, I'd say to mix some common sense with the numbers. If you catch a bass and there's any doubt as to whether you harvest or release it, release it. If you want other ways to judge your fish, look at subtle things, too. Look at the width/thickness of the caudal peduncle, the thickness of the flesh around the tail section. If it's thin, harvest. Look at its shoulders. If that area is shaped like an upside down "U", consider releasing it. If it looks like an upside down "V", cull it. Judge the flesh along the backbone. Thick is good, thin isn't. And, as simple as it sounds, you can weigh a thin fish with a big meal in its belly and think since it's so close to the curve, you should release it.
If you have a fishery with some age, make it a point to harvest fish that you think aren't performing. I can't tell you how many times we come across new clients, with overcrowded bass populations, and they don't understand how important it is to take as many fish as they can. A six or eight year old bass, that is twelve inches long, won't grow much larger than four or five pounds. Culling, in that case, means harvesting as many fish as you can, and depend on younger fish to become the faster growing fish with the best potential.
Lastly, combine relative weights and percentage size distribution, with some common sense as your basis to decide which fish to cull.
Better yet, do it like you want.