You have not seen much discussion of YP in combination with LMB because IMO the combination does not work well. It is rare to find one who has a small pond with a good YP-LMB fishery where good numbers of 4"-10" YP exist. I have done quite a bit of study and sampling of YP with the SMB and LMB in the small ponds of NW Ohio area. I have never located a pond yet where YP are truly successful with LMB as the dominat predator. I have no doubt YP-LMB combo could be done but I hav not encountered a pondowner yet willing to apply the effort to keep the YP-LMB fishery balanced. LMB always over eat the forage base of YP.
Dr Willis in South Dakota State Univ has discussed waters where he as seen good YP-LMB fisheries. But as I recall those waters are typically larger than 1 acre or more AND probably contain at least submerged weeds. I doubt you will tolerate weeds in a small pond where swimming is common.
RES are very hard to locate in southern MI. You might not even be able to locate RES in MI. PLEASE Let me know if you can find a hatchery in MI that sells RES.
Keep in mind that when YP get 6"-8" they "prefer" to be a predator. IF at that size they do not get enough to eat they almost always grow very poorly. Then staying a small size makes them more vulnerable for a longer time to predation by even bass as small as 12" long.
The best YP ponds I have found are ones that have SMB or non reproducing predators such as walleye or HSB (hybrid striped bass) as the predators of the YP.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/17/08 08:08 PM.
