Will, it's going to get pretty cold here in E Texas in the next day or so. Weather guys are talking in the teens. So, it got me to thinking about pond forage adjustments in about 60 days or so. And in order to think things out, I thought I would throw this out there for some discussion. First off, I found a 2 to 3 lb Tp dead and floating yesterday. I thought they had been gone for a couple of weeks, guess not. I also found a 1" tfs dead and floating next to the Tp. I think that was a fluke and not that all the tfs are dead. Its not that cold yet, but it might be in a few days after this cold weather passes. I will be checking temps after this cold spell. So, here is where my thoughts are this morning. With a little history, last March we did an e-shock survey and found out I was short of 2 to 3" cnbg. I expect the same this coming March 1st. Hay, they have been feed on all winter with no reproduction. I did see a 2"er about two weeks ago, dead and floating, so I know I had a late spawn of cnbg. Anyway, low numbers of small cnbg expected and if my tfs don't make it? Last year the tfs help me get through the low cnbg numbers. But if no Tfs, then where to start with inserting more forage into the pond? If I wait till April for Tp, that is a month or more with a low forage count and my lmb will or may be coming up short on Wr. And that is not the desired path I want. I have been thinking of restocking the Tfs and will do it if suppliers don't lose their breeders due to cold weather. I have also been looking at Gshad, I think most of my lmb(15 to 17") are in the size range needed for gizzards and some of my Hsb are getting close to being big enough to help in control of the gshad. But I have also given some Gsh some serious thought, instead of Gshad. I am thinking I can get one or so of the forage fish into the pond by mid Feb. Just thinking outloud here guys. Where to go from here?
