CC as the primary predator for BG isn't a natural choice. LB and other subspecies of bass have always been the BG primary predator and the two species have co-dependence. That is, they neither one do very well in the absence of the other.
I certainly understand how pond owners would want to focus on LMB as they are piscavorous at a young age and are better able to reproduce. My recent interest in catfish as predators deals with the failure of LMB-BG combinations in small public waters where I live. The failure isn't the fault of bluegill nor of the bass. These waters get a lot of fishing pressure and fisherman upset the balance either by harvest and/or fishing stress related mortality. This issue isn't just a public water one. I am sure some pond owners here have experienced poaching that has upset their best efforts to manage their fishing resource.
It would be great to hear from Theo as to the tangible results of his experiment.
I doubt ... but haven't yet formulated an opinion as to whether CC only predation might work. If it could, it would require that the biomass of CC be primarily of the size that predominantly eats fish. I would think that it might also require that the pond resources provide little food to the large CC except for the BG. For example, mussels might be in short supply in a successful pond or at least the easily harvested foods would be stressed enough to force catfish to hunt fish for their weight maintenance and growth needs.
It also occurs to me that CC that are consuming BG may actually help LB fry survival. In other words, could they provide a synergy that helps to bolster the population of small LMB by eliminating some of the LMB fry and spawn eating BG and improving spawning success? This may be less a benefit for LMB than for BG. Whatever the case, I would certainly like to see larger BG where I fish and perhaps a few of you might as well in your ponds. LMB are easy to catch and in lower numbers so they would be much easier to control in overpopulation than an overpopulation of BG. The only two BOWs I regularly catch 9"+ bluegill here in the city are also the best for catching large catfish. Perhaps a coincidence or speaks more of the bio-environment of the BOWs. In any case, if large CC help BG size the evidence would have to support the proposition by coincidental observation. Even if we can't be sure there is a benefit, we can't rule out a potential benefit. Perhaps it may be worthwhile for deeper investigation.
From my perspective, I simply don't have the experience to understand what might be an ideal combination of CC,LMB & BG or whether a CC & BG is feasible. It would likely depend on the fishing pressure and pond ecosystem. But certainly a predator which is difficult to catch with artificial lures and especially traditional CC baits would be very beneficial to many of the waters I fish.
Last edited by jpsdad; 05/22/18 11:28 AM.
