Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations What to do with 100% 13-15 inch LMB?

Okay, this is not bragging, it is not showing off, its is a question that is perplexing me some.

I have been culling LMB under 14 inches for a few years now and I am seeing them increase in RW. Now I am seeing +100% 13, 14 , and 15 inch LMB, what do I do? DO I still cull them? Do I change my program?

Thoughts?

Brian, if it were me I'd start culling the ones barely at or above 100% RW while releasing the 110% plus fish. But I'm certainly no expert.

Also, during the spawning period you might want to take out every male you catch, unless it is a truly outstanding fish.

Just my two cents, and maybe not worth even that...

Cull, cull, cull. 20# per surface acre. LOTS of fish dinners.

Are these LMB all feed-trained?

As you've got the ability to create smaller ponds, maybe you could 'house' them in a sein-able pond and sell them (or share them) with other PB members or friends.

They may be very good genetic stock.

Sunil,

I don't have any feed trained LMB, unless you consider eating BG as feed trained. As for holding them for anyone, I don't have a pond available for holding them.

I am culling, I just wonder if I should cull more, less, or remain on course.

Brian, you don't feed at all?

Is the group you are culling ( 13-15") the group that has the lowest RW of all the different sizes?

IMO I would look at how the other pond fish are doing for some clues on how to proceed.

Are your larger LMB doing as well or better from a Rw perspective? How are the BG doing? Plenty of appropriate size BG for your bigger bass and still seeing all size classes?

Sunil,

We don't have a feeder on the big pond, but I do hand feed at times from the dock and shoreline.

F&C, the smaller LMB are the ones with lower RWs. I find from time to time that a larger fish will be lower on RW, and that fish is culled.

Bill, the larger LMB are doing well. The keepers I caught this weekend, are 104 to 109% RW. I did cull two larger fish, but one was do to hooking it in the gills, the other was 98% RW.

I can find several class sizes of BG in our pond. Also, I added Tilapia this weekend. The water temp was 76.5F this morning and has been above 75 all week.

All in all, the LMB are doing well and I want that to continue. Just trying to figure out if I am on the right track or may need a slight adjustment.

Based on the info you provided, I'm with Esshup. Stay the course on slot size and make sure you fish enough to get 20+ pounds of the target size out.

If you end up with too many fillets, PM me and I will send you an address you can send the excess to!

Just my 1 cent....