Thanks for the tips, Theo. I also wish you could come help...catching them is a ton of fun! It was so warm Sunday you could've caught them on topwaters.
They are extremely skinny, but they're also getting longer. That is what confuses me. They aren't "truly" stunted or else they would all be the same size and would be 10" or so, right?
The vast majority used to be around 9", but now the vast majority are 13-14". I'm also starting to catch more fish of different sizes. They're definitely getting longer, but they're staying skinny...that's what I don't fully understand. If they were truly stunted, wouldn't they be growing in girth as much as in length?
The other bass with a bent back was much smaller (maybe 7") and was definnitely a younger fish. That's what got me wondering whether it was nutrition or genetics that causes the deformity (or both).
I want to introduce new LMB genetics, but more LMB is the last thing this pond needs. I guess I'll keep culling and stocking larger BG, and maybe eventually I can add LMB.
