One big reason those south Texas ponds, lakes, and "tanks" grow huge fish is pretty simple. My very first pond management client was a hunting ranch northwest of Laredo in 1983. Learned some interesting lessons there. First off, they have a 365 day growing season for bluegills. Second, those ponds ebb and flow with water. A 30 acre lake today may be three acres in two years, then fill back up with a tropical storm coming across from Baja. When those water bodies drop in size, big fish grow huge, small fish are eaten, and the fishery adjusts to its environmental circumstances. As the water drops, fish eat each other. When the lake fills again, forage fish spawn like crazy. They've got more room, "new" habitat, and a fertile food chain enriched by mineral-laden soils. Perfect circumstances with a favorable climate.
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