Hey Doc:

Thanks for the input. I was hoping for some intitial growth in the new 8-10" LMB. Along with their stocking, I put about a 100+lbs of shiners and fatheads, however, the majority of their time in my pond wouldn't have been the growing season especially in PA.

But I agree w/ you about waiting until after the spawn.

It was also suggested that I may be able to see some visible pattern difference in the new LMB vs. the existing ones. I've been waiting to check that, however, the LMB only started showing up this past Saturday afternoon in my pond. Up until then so far this year, I hadn't seen a fish in my pond although water temps. were around 50 degrees. This past Saturday, the water temp was warming up past 52 degrees.

Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:"
"She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."