Whatever you settle on for cull numbers ... consider getting started on this now. Perhaps concentrate on those that have lagged the average growth the most. These should be mostly male fish and having fewer LMB nests may help you get through another year without recruitment of LMB.
Next year's growth will be around 70% of body mass if they grow maximally. You should not need to remove more than ~30% of the standing population to maintain 1.67 lbs of average annual growth. This assumes 10% annual natural mortality and that the pond produces the same weight of consumable forage that it did this year.
It's a small number but we've pulled (3) of the (50) originally stock to date, and they have all been on the low end of the growth scale with the last cull having an odd shape as well. I questioned myself on not culling the short fish yesterday, but he got Ceasar's blessing with thumbs up after, shape of the body, tugging on the line and showing off acrobatics at jumps and tail walking across the water. I'm not sure those traits are able to be passed down, but just in case....Still hopeful that we can pull at least 5-7 more fish this year taking us to approx 20%. Most of the focus has been on finding the short fish but I think low that we are seeing some nearly 2lb or 2lb+ fish showing we could find some of the avg fish in there as well.
So you are thinking we pull another (8) fish on the > 15" side of things for 2026 I haven't figured out where we need to be on < 12" for 2026
If the pond goals are more trophy related and avg culling annually is 15-20lbs per year I'd guess the trophy style culling is higher than the avg to ensure forage remains high. (8) fish > 15" and 100% RW would be nearly 15lbs on it's own. Would I be looking to cull approx the same weight in < 12" fish?
1.5acre LMB, YP, BG, RES, GSH, Seasonal Tilapia I subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine
