JAM :

JayMan is right . Many factors go into proper harvest rates . Size and life expectancy also are determined by several factors. JayMan noted some of them. One I want to additionally point out is location . Location often determines growth rates , feritility of the pond , growing season , types of fish that can survive and how the pond is managed for DO {oxygen levels in the water}, wintering {ice over} and a host of other matters. Please see the first site below for info on Indiana . On pg. 7 it has info on BG in southern Ind. where you are located. This site also has some good general info but according to CB1 some of it is dated. The second site is to a dicussion about BG growth in CB1's pond over the summer.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/publications/fsmgt/fishmgt.pdf

http://www.pondboss.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001625

While many of us in the south can , as bobad implies , take many BG often as many as we can catch , up north is different. I read an article in In Fisherman mag. some time back that warned against fishermen up north { infertile waters and slow growth rates} taking to many large male BG off the nests. It pointed out the dangers of that practice on the populations size and quality. There are many on this fourm who can give good advice for your area . ewest