Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations fish hatchery said

I've not read Suttle's Trophy Bass but I did read B.Lusk's Trophy Bass booklet. Where did you get Suttle's book?

You did not say that you wanted to raise Trophy Bass. Not sure you can raise trophy bass in a 1/2 acre pond. At least more than 2 or 4 of them. And it depends on what "we" call tryphy. Trophy is different is Ohio vs Tennesseee vs Texas. If you can get 6 to 10 bass in your small pond in the 3.5 to 6 lb range I say you are doing great; esp for a first timer.

My bgill to bass ratio is low for raising big bass. My ratio was to minimize the chance of overpopulation of bgill and produce some bigger eatable /harvestable bgills mixed in with a good number of 1.5 - 3 lb bass with an occassional 4 lber. If you are going after trophy bass in your small pond then the bgill numbers will have to be increased and the number of quality bgill will be fewer. You need high numbers of intermediate sized bgill for raising big bass. Other forage items or hand feeding also helps.

I think if you are going to try and grow several truly large bass in your small pond you will do it easiest by training the few big bass you have to be hand fed fresh killed bgill. That way you can get them to grow big and they not expend much energy chasing food. At least it worked for me.