Update time on the situation with the GSF. I will start with the summer of 2013. The RBT grew tremendously well. I attribute that to them feeding on the GSF thru winter and spring. Looking back on that summer, I now feel the GSF was not under the best of control. The reason is because in early summer we had a one in a 50/100 year flood. The pond overfilled into back acres of property and also went over the dam. I did notice in the pools of water left behind lots of small fry, but by the time I was able to put time into checking them, they were all gone. I think the kingfishers and herons got them. The water stayed high for may weeks after, making it difficult to see what was really going on. I did not notice any LMB spawning or BG, but thought that with the pond flooded I was just not able to see them, and perhaps they were done by that time too. So come fall, I got more RBT to work on the few GSF that were left (or so I thought). And they are a blast to have in the pond too. When I stocked those, I also added some more RES, but didn't add LMB because I thought they spawned ok.
That brings us to this summer(2014). The RBT didn't grow as well, but it was a long winter. And besides, it made sense that if the GSF were diminishing the trout wouldn't grow as well. Sample fishing around the pond was looking good. I caught a few BG that to me was showing success. Slightly over 8". I don't think I have ever caught BG as big as that. Definitely LMB and BG on beds. All seemed good.
Then here comes the GSF, anything under 3.5" seem to be them. Why just them and nothing else. No sign of BG or LMB from last year spawn, or this year. Bill Cody said there is a possibility that the GSF are eating all them. My LMB are now in the 12- 14" range, and they probably don't want to mess with the small GSF. So, I decided to add some small bass again. At the hatchery, they didn't have 4-6' size, 2-4" just didn't seem like a good idea, so I added 30 LMB 6-8". They were feed trained, so I shut down the feeder for the next two weeks per Cody's recommendation. So if each bass eats a GSF/day, that will add up over the summer. More than I could ever catch/trap.
Now I'll wait and see what happens. Can't say yet whether or not the GSF are under control. Sorry for the ramble of history, but I feel that all the different stuff that has happened has contributed to the current results. Every ones scenario will be different. I will also say that I have a heron visiting now too. That may throw a quirk into it. However, will a heron grab everything but GSF? Somehow I find that hard to believe. Long live the GSF, just in moderation.....
