ewest:
Thanks for the info. I will check out the article you mentioned. I am not as concerned with the catchability of the two types, as long as they are not totally uncatchable. I have been a big bass addict for about 15 years now and usually either live bait fish with large shiners or use more natural artificials like rubber worms. This has seemed to work pretty well for the older, larger, and more lure-shy fish. I actually prefer the challenge of working for a large fish instead of catching a bunch of small ones. Georgia is full of farm ponds and I have fished a bunch of them. Most have shiners in them already (I know it is not a good idea to introduce them and never do). We catch the shiners from the pond we are fishing, put them on a hook, and drink a few cold ones while we wait. My idea of a relaxing day on the water:) I suppose threadfins or some other recommended forage fish would serve the same purpose in a pond without shiners already. I have no idea if the bass we usually catch around here are Florida, Northern, or hybrids of the two...I'm guessing hybrids more often than not. I am actually as intrigued by the idea of managing, feeding, and growing the bass as much as with catching them these days. Raising a trophy bass from a fingerling sounds like more of an accomplishment than getting one to bite! Most of the time I would probably be fishing for bluegills, redears, or catfish (speaking of which, what about blue cats in a pond? Good or bad?) with my sons and watching the bass grow...occasionally catching a few to get my fix. Anyway, I am getting long winded here. Which way would you go in terms of stocking?
