Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Florida or Native bass???

Ok I stocked Floridas in my pond that is a long time established pond with native bass in it. I want to cull some smaller fish. How do I tell which are native and which are Florida's? I sure as heck to not want to cull a Florida after what I had to pay for them. I am in Texas by the way

You cull the ones that aren't fin clipped. You DID fin clip the Floridas, didn't you?

No I did not - never thought about or heard of doing that

When did you stock the Fla LMB and what size were they ?

Stocked about a month ago - 1.5 lbs to 3 lbs -

Harvest only LMB under 1.25 LBS. Don't harvest any until post spawn.

Thank you Sir for the info - will do

Tim, most fin clips grow back rather quickly. Depending on which fin and the angle it's cut, you gotta be looking pretty close to see them. It will generally be a "wavy line" where it was clipped, but grows back to it's original shape.

should the folks I bought the Floridas from have clipped them or was that my job?

Short answer, your job. All they do is furnish the fish in good health and make sure that they are acclimated to the water before they are released.

If a customer wants fish to be fin clipped, I typically clip off a complete pelvic fin, and note it on the invoice as to which one was clipped off.