10/3/24 I caught the first 2+# bass out of my pond 14.8” - 2.03# (first photo) 6/20/25 I caught what seems to be the same fish 16” - 2.64# (second photo) This fish was caught within 20’ of each other , standing on my dock
First, does this look like the same fish? (Markings and head look a lot alike) Second does this growth seem correct seeing how you had winter than it’s first spawn Was not the ideal growing season between the 2 catches.
I’m more posting this because going into last winter my fish growth was pretty awesome, average catch was 14.0” - 1.74#, This one was a little ahead of the curve, Coming out of winter, March - Late April, everything I was catching was in the 14.7” - 1.70# range. So length growth but weight and RW decline. Even though I knew it was winter and spawn I really thought my fish health was declining. 50% of my catches were between 95 - 105% RW. I had never experienced anything like it. Every fish the previous year was 115% +. Then this gal bit the hook so I had a comparison fish, did this last 30 days right the ship and get these fish to packing the weight back on or does she just have it figured out? Wish I had more fish to compare but we just had a flood, water is murky and up about 2’, LMB just aren’t biting
Because you caught this fish close to the same place it could be the same fish as predators will tend to establish a small area where the food buffet is good for them. One easy way to mark a fish is to cut as in shortening by cutting or clipping the end of a certain one of the dorsal spines. Nail clippers work for this ask.
So far you RW and fish growth is on a good track. One note for your fish growth knowledge. When a fish stops getting enough food it will lose weight but not body length. Once body length is achieved the fish's length does not decrease however body weight can be lost.
One suggestion for continuing on your path to grow bigger bass with high RW. A pond can easily have too many bass but it can never have too many forage fish if growing real high quality sport fish is a main goal. Growing the biggest bass is keeping their numbers selectively low and work very hard and be diligent to keep lots of the proper sized forage fish abundant. Emphasis on Abundant. When fish are losing weight there are not enough of the proper size forage fish and too many things eating the forage fish. Selective harvest is very important for producing a high quality fishery. When your bass are loosing weight you have too many bass.
It’s been a while, Been catching a lot of LMB in 15.5 - 16” range with weights between 2.5 and 2.8# These seem to be the norm. Then out of nowhere I hooked a 17” - 3.32# fish, by far the biggest one to date I knew some big ones were swimming around, finally got one to bite the hook. On another note: My YOY fish are growing at an alarming rate, been catching a lot in the 10.5” range. Seems like there is an over abundance of them. Also got a 9” shiner and a 9.5” - 1.05# BG. Today was a good day on the water I think these numbers are pretty solid for being right at 2 years in. Up through July I was wondering if I had problems because the LMB were small and didn’t look healthy On a side note, my SMB are gaining length but not much weight. Have caught 4 over 2# but that’s the exception, not the norm.
Update, 06/20/25 first 2.5# bass was caught 08/25/25 we caught our first 3# LMB 10/18/25 the first 3.5# LMB was caught in our pond Today 12/26/25 the first 4# LMB was caught. It was right at 18” We caught 3 LMB today and they were all very fat, We also caught a 17” - 3.54# There has to be something positive going on to get a 4# LMB in Kansas after 2 years Maybe this is just normal IDK Seems as though they have taken off in the last 3 months even with the water temperature being below 50* for a vast majority of the time
I believe the growth cycle or spurt comes at different times of the year for LMB vs SMB. LMB add more mass from July - October where as the SMB don’t like the warm water and grow more from September - March. Spring time higher RW SMB, Fall time higher RW LMB, at least that’s what I’ve seen in my pond The SMB are still adding length so I’m not concerned, they were an experiment anyway and I’m pleased with where they are. I have also noticed that most of my SMB catches have been on the east side of the pond and the LMB are generally in the other areas
