As with any forage - predator based system amount of forage needed is dependent on numerous things such as number and size of predators, existing forage populations, size of forage items, etc. Any forage added is beneficial. The degree of benefit is dependent on the above mentioned items.
Hypothetical ???: Since LMB are warm water fish and trout are cold water fish, I wonder what percentage of trout are actually eaten by LMB when water is colder and LMB are less active and digesting foods slower i.e. below 50F?. I think most trout would be consumed when water is closer to 70-74F due to trout becomming stressed and slower swimmers? More trout IMO would be eaten when water temps are in the 55-65F range and bass are more active, even more trout would be eaten as temps increase? Anyone with experience with this? How adept are LMB at catching an active healthy trout?
Mentor Bob Lusk has written about using trout as forage but side stepped the specifics of predatory rate and timing of trout consumption by LMB. From my observations predators are mostly opportunists - selecting or chosing the more vulnerable items such as 'odd swimmers' or slow or weak individuals. Predators most often choose or thin the weakest from the herd - natures way. Healthiest and wisest and with some 'luck' survive to reproduce and recruit. For example ever see a LMB swimming among some favorable sized BG or forage fish and apparently ignoring them? Why?
Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/30/11 04:13 PM.
