Walt, in my own personal pond, I don't feed except when I show up. I regularly catch 9 inch BG and sometimes some a little bigger. But, not much bigger. It seems these days that I don't get to show up near often enough. We made the 140 mile round trip drive yesterday just to feed fish.
However, following the 2,000 BG recipe with bass added a year later, ponds that I semi manage for other people have gotten some pretty stunning results before the bass are added. Those that get a jump start, and some always do, keep growing. As they feed on the abundant fry, the protein keeps coming. However, if someone wanted only a big BG pond, I wouldn't recommend over 500 per acre with 2 feeders. Then, I would stock bass soon after depending on the weather(heat). Also, for trophy BG, I don't believe in eating the big ones.
The reality is that it is double tough to have both trophy BG and trophy bass in the same pond. It can be done but it takes more intense management and the stars all have to line up just right. Oh yeah, we also have to pray real hard for rain. I had it all done right in one 3 acre pond. Then the guys wife heard about the benefits of fertilization. In North Central Texas we don't need to fertilize. Within a week he had floaters everywhere. I waded out wearing white sneakers and they disappeared just above my ankles. That was in August a year ago. The guy told me that he knew he should have called me first. Instead of crying, we sat down and had a beer.
Last edited by Dave Davidson1; 07/20/09 03:28 PM.
