snrub - I dug out my copy of the original research paper about the four small ponds for RES in MO by D.W. Gabelhouse that Dr.Willis mentioned in his Pond Boss article Redear Sunfish.
Referenced article was titled: Redear Sunfish for Small Impoundments? by DW.Gabelhouse 1976 (In: New Approaches to the Management of Small Impoundments). The study was his MS thesis.
Here are some additional details about that study.
1. The ponds had been stocked mainly with LMB-RES for 24-28yrs. Other fish present besides RES-LMB in the various ponds were Pond1 GSF & hybrids, CC, Pond2 none, Pond3 none, Pond4 BG(veryfew), CC FHM, GSH.
2. The invertebrate community as forage food was not studied.
3. alkalinities ranged from 40-90ppm.
4. Maximum depths ranged from 6.6 - 9.2ft.Pond size 0.1-0.4ac
5. Maximum water transparencies ranged from 18" in Pond1 to 39" in Ponds3&4.
6. Ponds 1&2 had small amounts of submerged vegetation whereas Pond 3 had dense submerge veg. and Pond4 was weedy with submerged and emergent veg.
7. No bass in any of the ponds were 18" or greater long. Ponds 2&4 had the largest bass.
8. The lengths of age 7 RES ranged from 7.0" to 8.5". Indicating to me a very slow growth rate. Largest RES occurred in two of the ponds were in the 9.0-9.9" length group.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/16/14 07:34 PM.
