DD ,Tentmaker and ML :

The tiger bass have one of the pelvic fins clipped.

The plans are to not keep any small LMB under 12 in. until after the tiger bass have spawned. We will take out some over 12 in. to keep balance. If caught we will release any tiger bass (fin clipped) asap. In the mean time we will monitor rw and catch rates and type to see if condition and catchability improve either through conditioning (competition) or genetics. Feeding only behind net so as to avoid LMB at feeder problem.

Checked on the fish behind the net yesterday. Very interesting event. New fish behind the net eating pellets a little but not aggressively both BG and LMB. I noticed that if a pellet floated out of the net area it was quickly and aggressively eaten. First thought was some of the fish got out of the net. No -- why would escaped new fish outside the net be feeding much better than those inside the net. So I threw a handfull of pellets outside the net. Then I saw a number of large BG 7in. plus swarm those pellets. It was the CNBG that were feed March - July behind the net prior to release and not sense, and their 3in. offspring. I would not have thought that they 1) would have stayed in the area without feeding for 3+mths., 2) been so aggressive in eating with the cold water conditions and 3) remembered and reacted that quick to feed resumption ( 1 day).

Tentmaker --I am with you I think conditioning/competition do make a difference just as Bob described at the DFW meeting. With Flas. and F1s genetics is also important. But one thing I will remember as very important is Dr. Gary Garrett's first comment to me over the phone about his studies ,that all LMB (Fla.,F1s and Northerns) exhibit reduced catchability quickly under fishing pressure. When I looked back at his papers after the phone call it was there clear as a bell --He said so at the first of the paper and later gave the stats. and results to prove that pressure is a big factor and that it is more pronounced in Fla. and F1s because they start with a lower catchability genetic base. It just did not make that big of an impression when I first read it as it did when he told me that first and that he made a point of doing so. ewest