I think to grow the higher numbers of large bass in a relative small pond as in TGW1's plan, he needs to be prepared to periodically supplementally stock forage similar to that described by basslover(stressed bait)and esshup(trout). Excess, easy catch forage is key especially for higher numbers of bass pushing carrying capacity in the smaller pond. Adding diversity of forage is also important to provide easy meals for big bass in all seasons. Dying tilapia in fall, haul stress trout in winter and then dying in late spring(TX), and other 'regular' mid-sized fish in the warm season. Big bass thrive on easy meals (following the trout stock trucks example). IMO big predators rely heavily on weak, stressed fish who many of them are likely senescent injured fish and no one else is big enough to eat them. This is where threadfins can be important since they are low temperature sensitive.
Since BG are not known to live long in the south and they as dying maybe stunted fish at 6"-8" long, are good meals for the largest bass. IMO ideally to grow higher numbers of trophy class bass in a smaller pond (>10Ac) one should have a forage pond devoted to growing optimum, frequent, add-stock forage for big bass. Be the equivalent of your own state trout stocking operation.
Get your biggest bass accustomed to your adding easy catch meals. Bruce Condello does a version of this to grow this large prize catch bass. Even if one has to catch the forage from their own pond, stress it, and add it as easy catch bass food. It's not easy nor quick,,,, but it reliably produces excellent results. My dad and I were doing this to grow big bass back in the late 1960's using fish collected weekly from the creek stressing the fish and hand feeding a frenzy of big pond bass.
Another example: This summer in May I had a left over 8.0" SMB in a cage. Three to four times weekly, I added to the cage 6-12 tail clipped GSF(2"-3") from my pond. In mid summer when water was 78F-83F the bass would eat 4-5 GSF per day. By end of October the Smallie was 12.5" long.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/03/16 04:55 PM.
