Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Culling small bass to feed bigger bass

Why can’t you cull small bass by cutting there fins to make them easy prey for your bigger bass? Seems like just removing them is not efficient. If they get eaten that’s protein you don’t have to buy? Tell me why I am wrong on this thought?

GET the Chevy Chase BASSAMATIC BLENDER.
You could also use a maggot fly feeder by tossing the bass in. SORRY JUST HAD TO POST THE BASSAMATIC....

After doing this for 52 years, the best rule especially in the beginning is to clip numerous fins. My dad and I developed this method way back when I was in college.
The less ability the small bass can swim the quicker the nearby bass will learn to eat these small bass that are tossed into their area. It is best to do this method near the fish pellet feeding area because several lazy bass will hangout below the BG who are eating pellets and wait for an opportune meal. The method also works for any type of sunfish and small perch. It will not take long for a few bass to learn you tossing fish is easy feeding. Soon the welfare bass will be waiting close to the surface for your small fish treats.

I would clip the tail plus caudal and dorsal fin. I rotenoned a pond and pulled out a LMB that was missing it's tail that evaded the seine as it was pulled through the pond 5 different times.

In the short term, I'm not sure how many 'issues' you can address at one time considering what resources one has in time and money.

If they are already culling a lot of crappie, that's something I'd continue to do.

Culling more bass, like 350 or so, and adding a feeding program should have clear results.

Of course, the more the merrier, so to speak, but just start with one feeder, or hand feed if you're able. A simple way to look at a feed program is for every pound of feed consumed, the fish population puts on 1/2 pound, or so. So if you feed (3) 50 lb. bags a season, your putting on 75 lbs of weight on various fish species.

Soaking the feed in water for about 10 minutes before throwing it out will help more fish get on the feed, but soaking feed prior to putting it in the pond is not possible with the standard feeders out there, I think.

You might contact the Boy Scouts to help with removal of bass, we do that here to get youngsters to fish and to get merit badges