I'm still going to stick to my guns and say pondowners should not expect SMB alone to control BLG reproduction (so that some big BLG are produced). I know this isn't always a popular statement here, but I'm "obligated" to make the warning.
Ok, I just couldn't leave this alone. I "had" to come back and add a bit more. Let me re-word this a little. I’ve got to stick by my guns and say that I have seen no personal evidence and no scientific articles that SMB alone will control sunfish reproduction so that big sunfish are produced.
I’m always glad to admit when I’m wrong, and certainly our truly interested pondmeisters can do things such as trapping/removal, additional predators, feeding, etc., that changes the equation. However, for that base question, and for the time being, I will have to continue saying that I don’t think SMB will control sunfish. We just finished one experiment along these lines, and I'll try to get that in the next available issue of Pond Boss (Mar-Apr, I think).
