One study titled Use of a Female-only Stocking Strategy to Establish a Trophy Largemouth Bass Fishery in a Georgia Small Impoundment by Timothy F. Bonvechio, and Joseph J. Rydell, in the Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 3:136–143, 2016, documented the successful creation of a trophy largemouth bass fishery at Ocmulgee Lake (106 acres) by stocking only females to reduce or eliminate reproduction in combination with stocking supplemental forage species. This stocking strategy created a low-reproduction, fast-growing largemouth bass population that fit in with fishermen’s catch and release mentality.
This project is a great case study. To mimic this Georgia BOW's stocking recipe ....
YEAR 1 (2004)Initial Lime
Fertilize to maintain bloom between .5m and .6m (Ongoing)
Stock forage:
BG @ 322 BG/Acre
RES @ 80 RES/ACRE
GF @ 318 GF/ACRE (I would probably omit)
Brood WCP @ 4 WCP/Acre (I would probably omit for trophy LMB)
YEAR 2 (2005)Spring:
Stock 12" Sexed Female LMB @ 5.22 LMB/Acre
Stock Brood Sized GSH @ 40 GSH/Acre
Stock Brood Sized TFS @ 14.28 TFS/Acre
Stock 1" CC @ 183/Acre (I would probably omit for trophy LMB)
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Mid Summer:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Stock 1-2" CC @ 183/Acre (I would probably omit for trophy LMB)
Fall:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
YEAR 3: (2006)Spring:
Supplement: Supplement 12" Female LMB @ 5.22 LMB/Acre
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Mid Summer:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Fall:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
YEAR 4: (2007) Watch them Grow and Supplement GFSpring:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Mid Summer:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Stock 1-2" CC @ 183/Acre (I would probably omit for trophy LMB)
Fall:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
YEAR 5: (2008) Spring:
EF Survey: Average LMB is 19.5" Length and 5.27 lbs
Supplement: Supplement 12" Female LMB @ 5.22 LMB/Acre
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Summer:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Fall:
Supplement: Supplement GF @ 322/Acre (I would probably omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Supplement: Supplement LCS @ 248/Acre (I would omit and supplement forage pond BG in 1-2" lengths)
Going forward: Continue 3 times yearly of GF and LCS supplements (I would replace with home grown forage BG) AND supplement 12" Female LMB as required to maintain a population between 9 and 11 Female LMB/acre.
Interesting Factoids
Across 8 years:There were only two-year classes of LMB recruited to Age 1.
Recruited year classes never exceeded 27% of the total LMB Population:
The population ranged from 5.22 to 15.78 LMB/Acre
In Spring 2012, the population was declining and was ~ 14 LMB/Acre
Beginning Spring 2008, the standing weight of LMB ranged from 50 to 89 lbs/acre.
No Feed was required to grow them.
2000 BG/acre initial stocking wasn't needed
Although the supplemental forage contributed to growth and maintenance --- most of the consumption came from in situ growth of consumable forage which was abundant throughout the study.
