The amount of knowledge on this forum is amazing. You guys really know your stuff and I am very grateful you share it with all of us. And as I continue my journey I am humbled by just how much I DO NOT know. I am just a simple bass fisherman and deer hunter that seems to do OK building habitat, growing and harvesting mature deer. I have done a pretty good job with the deer, so I set my sights on doing the same with bass, on a working man's budget. I love the challenge of building and managing my very own bass pond and am grateful everyday that at least on the weekends, I can do something and have something that I truly enjoy, other than my children. I appreciate everyone's input and insight very much.
With that being said I will try and follow as much advice as possible and my plan is this:
Calm down, don't overreact. Bass are still growing, just now at the level when they were first introduced. I am pretty positive they ate every fathead minnow in there, which is what the fathead minnows job was to be, an easy meal for hungry, growing small bass. Also, if my bass did spawn, I understand that takes a lot of energy. I have caught plenty of post-spawn fish with that same look over the years. (usually trying to gorge themselves on shad to make up weight.)
Add some more habitat. I have a few more christmas trees to sink and need to find me some rocks to make some more piles as well as being creative and making some new stuff.
I have done some reading on sexing bass and am anxious to see if I can apply what I have read and take a few male bass out. (all though it seems like what aliens do when they abduct humans and probe them, but I won't go into that.)
I may add some golden shiners and possibly some threadfin shad just because, hopefully some will make it past the hungry mouths and produce a few more.
And finally do a seine survey and actually get a better idea of what I have.
And keep doing what I am doing, feeding good fish food and fertilizing and enjoying what I have.
Thanks again for all your input.
