There is a very interesting article in the Jan-Feb 2016 Pond Boss magazine that may deal with your specific problem. "New Perspectives On Slow-Growing Bluegill" by Wes Neal (Mississipi Prof State Ext Fisheries Specialist. Pg 44-45. He says sometimes other factors of food, predators, & genetics appear good, and BG will still not grow well,,, it could be to a social, chemical issue as much as food issue. He says the BG population is too abundant and too many of the biggest BG have been removed or died. Now smaller males have no reason to delay spawning and the population trends toward smaller and smaller more abundant BG who over eat the resource. Large BG males have been shown in research to emit a hormone that also suppresses spawning of small male BG. Without large BG, small BG freely spawn to create over abundant numbers of ever small individuals.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 01/24/16 07:06 PM.
