"Recent research (1995) found that there is a clear relationship between strike speed and fish size in several species including LMB which are "ram-feeders". The bigger the fish the slower the strike speed. This is why B.Lusk emphasizes in his book that big bass feed differently than bass less than 16". The strike of a 5 lb bass takes 50% longer than a strike of a 1 lb bass. Thus for large bass to feed efficietly and gain weight, they need to catch as big as prey as possible each time (J. Exp Biol. 198: 419-433) .
This is really interesting. Obviously it implies that big bass need big prey, which will theoretically also be proportionately slower. I wonder what else it implies about the feeding patterns of big bass.
I wonder for instance, how a large bass, if that much slower, would feed on a schooling pelagic fish like a gizzard or threadfin shad. Can they catch the healthy freeswimming adults, or do they prey on the sick or injured?
I've read that extremely large pike may be more likely to scanvenge, feeding sometimes on the bottom off of dead or dying fish.
Certainly your comment above helps explains why fat and stupid hatchery trout are such a boon to big bass growth.
