Great ape -- the pond where the PKS overpopulated is a very steep sided gravel pit. Also very clear. It does have some Chara (musk grass) around the perimeter in summer, but that dies back in fall when smallies should really be on the feed bag. If the SMB were going to control the PKS in any of the ponds we manage, I thought it would be there!
Dave, in the ponds where PKS overpopulated where there any GSH in those ponds? The reason I ask is that in my 1 acre pond the GSH are very abundant but the PKS population is much smaller and the trout always were well fed even though they ate very little trout feed.
I wonder if the GSH have a big impact in controlling the PKS numbers by preying heavily on the fry.
I've noticed in my small backyard pond which has 9 larger PKS, and one very aggressive 6" GSH who appears to bully the PKS even though they are larger.
Maybe a combination of PKS and GSH might make a good combination for a forage base for SMB and prevent PKS from overpopulating. Just my simple observations.
