To harvest all bg caught?? That is the opposite of what I understand to grow large lmb...
Yeah that was my reaction too but you have to admit they had a lot of success doing it.
It wasn't clear to me what harvest all BG caught meant, but I took it to mean fish large enough to filet and eat. As I thought about it actually did make sense from the standpoint of forage production. Taking larger BG reduces the size structure and increases the number of BG males nesting. It frees space for BG in the 4" to 6" range. The result, I guess, is there isn't as many 9" to 11" BG. Also, primary production conversion is much more efficient to 6" than it is from 6" to 8" or 10". Whatever convention it seems to fly against ... it is difficult to argue with success. It would be great if chunting were to chime in with some detail on how they harvested BG. In any event, success can hardly be measured over the first two or three years. Those privately managed BOWs chunting referred to were implementing a long term plan that works over the long haul. It is wise to listen to their story.
Here is chunting's remark about management:
Most of the ponds and small lakes I fish in Georgia and South Carolina have a simple management plan. Keep all bass under 3 pounds and all panfish. Keeping a trophy to mount is allowed.
the thread is here:
http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=496860I have removed a few bg but that was due to having too many bg and could not get lmb reproduction. If you are seeing that, then reduce some bg.
It may surprise you to learn that the condition you describe is optimum for LMB growth rates. Of course you get no recruitment. But if one purchased 2 to 4 BG acclimated F1 females per acre annually, it might be easier to implement than culling LMB.
