Pond Boss Forums FISH & FISHING Fly Fishing & Other Fish Species Mouth Gape of HSB

Well that would be amazing my longest to date is 26!

New data point from RC51. LMbass 17" long with mouth gape of 2.75" (width). Thanks RC for remembering. Any others been catching LMB or HSB for some mouth gape measurements?????

No. I cooked the nightcrawlers in the car yesterday...

We went this morning and had a blast here are the measurements.
21" long
3-5/8" gape

19-1/2" long
3-1/4 gape

10-1/2 long
1-1/2 gape

18-1/4" long
3-1/4" gape

20-3/8" long
3-3/8" gape

21-3/8" long
3-7/16" gape

22" long
3-3/4 gape

17-1/4" long
3" gape

18-1/4" long
3-1/8" gape

19-7/8" long
3-1/4" gape

I will post pics in newly uploaded images.

Cray - thanks a lot for taking time to make those mouth measurements. They will help our data set of fish mouth gape information. Any others out there willing to help???

Lovnlivin: measured this HSB: The HSB was 17" with a vertical gape of 2", horizontal gape of 1 5/8".

Just to tie up loose ends. I have tracked down and had a conversation with the student author of the Ball State paper on YP feeding. Recall the faculty author was less than helpful. She states that all the YP they measured were dead. The mouth gape was measured with digital calipers. They did a max stretch gape both horiz and vert. They inserted the "jaws" of the caliper in the proper orientation and opened them until they wouldn't go any further. She admitted this is not a realistic feeding opening, but was selected as most repeatable among different folks measuring.

We already had concerns about the YP dataset as it showed YP having a larger gape than LMB, but this explains why. As the measurement doesn't really fit our stated gape model, I'll leave that YP data out. Our experts may want to weigh in, but when a horizontal gape is measured, I can see slightly opening the mouth to get inside, but stretching a fish to some unnatural limit seems not fitting.

Thanks for checking on this and updating us about it. Enlightening informaiton.

"Just passing some info along. ... 24" CC 4.9lb Mouth width 4" height 3" inhaled a 5.4" bluegill." (from PB Member Snakebite).

I know it's an old thread, but I am doing some serious culling from my pond this Fall due to the low water level going into winter. I want to reduce the biomass in the pond and have a target goal of 60# of fish to remove. Mostly HSB, but all LMB caught will be removed and any fish that is bleeding too. Do we still need gape data? If so that can be recorded. I am recording length/weight data already.

Gape data is always useful. The more data points the better and more reliable the information becomes. Thanks for taking time to do it.

O.K. Bill. Will do. Now the question is how do you want it measured? Hold mouth open measure height or width or both or what?

What species of fish?

I think we need a uniform set of plastic "reference" bluegill.

"The #8 bluegill barely fit into the subject HSB's mouth. The #9 would not fit."

Measure any that you have time for. Mostly when gape is measured they use width. Height and width are similar length with width being usually about 1-2 mm longer. I would pull the mouth open although I do not put undue "stress" stretching the mouth open. This stretching it open is somewhat subjective.

Bill:

Plenty of time to measure. I have a buddy's 11 yr old kid that is a fishing fool and since I don't have enough time to fish the pond to remove fish I am paying him "X" amount per pound for certain species to be removed, and "X" per pound for other species that are released back into the pond. The caveat for him is that he has to log every fish caught: Date, species, weight/length, whether kept or released and I can add gape to the list. I have a "Rite in the Rain" notebook and the pen that goes with it, a folding fish ruler and a digital scale like they use during Major League Fishing tournaments. All of this is kept in a container that he can easily access and put away when done. I even have a rubberized landing net for him to use.

The goal is to remove 60# of fish before the winter with the focus on Largemouth Bass 1st, HSB 2nd. (2x the $$ for LMB vs HSB LOL) Released fish are paid at 50% the rate of HSB. (all per pound). His eyes lit up when I asked him if he wanted to get paid to fish, BUT he had to keep a detailed record of what he caught. He was all for it.

A great learning experience for all - well done !!

"Plenty of time to measure. I have a buddy's 11 yr old kid that is a fishing fool and since I don't have enough time to fish the pond to remove fish I am paying him "X" amount per pound for certain species to be removed, and "X" per pound for other species that are released back into the pond."

esshup,

At that age, I would have PAID YOU to have that job!

You probably need to add "Evil Genius" to your profile!

Isnt there a song about a "Nickle for turning in bass never have to worry about the price of gas".

Rusto, yes, there is, however the most recent revision has "Nickle" replaced with "Gold Kruggerand."

LOL His Dad said he couldn't keep quiet on the ride home. Now he told his Dad to bring him here when his Dad comes here to go hunting. "I wont hunt, I want to fish while you hunt."

I got the rest of the supplies in the mail the last few days so I will have everything set up for this weekend for him. I won't be here - got way too many fish to pick up and throw in ponds.

Realized my bad spelling struck again after the fact oh well. I have lots of flaws in my game lol.