Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Questions about RW in different sized LMB

In a 1/4 acre pond there are around maybe 8 LMB in the 18" class. They appear to be in good condition and we frequently catch them. There are probably a similar number of smaller LMB in the 9" to 11" class. These look poor. I see smaller LMB and occasionally catch them but few LMB YOY are surviving. The piece that confuses me is why do the smaller LMB look so much poorer? My first hunch would be that small LMB would be the best fed fish in the pond. But they do not look to be fed well. Is this just the difference between males and females where males are relatively lower RW?

Do you own this pond to be able to control all management?
Lots of naiad could be part of the bass problem - too many naiad sheltering too many small BG and not allowing certain LMB to adequately harvest BG. Southern naiad is an annual and will die completely back, leaving only seed behind. It regrows each year, I would consider using just enough GC to allow it to grow to about 5%-105 OR maybe 15% of the pond area. Once the naiad is reduced the fish balance I think be different. Then reevaluate. I'm not sure but I think tilapia at a higher density will help the GC to in warm water season help control the naiad esp the smallest plants.

About Southern Naiad
https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/conservation/southern-naiad-is-a-common-underwater-weed

Diquat can also be a good tool to spot treat for naiad or maybe even try and eliminate it. It should definitely regrow from dormant seeds each year. Then see how the BG-LMB fishery and balance develops.

""efficiency just regarding prey availability"" - IMO the larger bass will eat anything to survive but eating too small of BG that are preferred sizes by 9"-11" LMB will not allow the big 18" ones to grow much if any each year. Ideally,,, those bass could in a TX climate be growing 1-2 lbs per year if they are getting appropriate foods. So next year those 18" bass could / should be 19.3" -20". Postage stamp BG for them means surviving (RW 70%-85%) but no growth. This is determined by taking RWs. Less than 90% to me means inadequate foods for best growth. RW I think needs to be 85%- 90%+ (as a maintenance wt) to be able to grow or make added poundage.

IMO a 1/4 ac pond with reproducing forage specie/s of BG or maybe YP, the pond should have only 1 LMB over 18" long if we want that bass to be noticeably bigger next year. This one bass is capable of eating 30 lbs of BG IF we want that bass to grow optimally or be the best it is capable of being.

If we use esshup's BG weight chart this equates to
just that one 18" LMB eating 4260 2" BG/yr or 330 5" BG/yr or 750 4" BG/yr. What would you rather spend your time doing? 2"ers or 5"ers?

Now if we multiply those numbers above by 8 for your 8 18" LMB in your 1/4 pond,,,,, can your 1/4 ac pond produce these numbers of BG and still have about 20% -40% BG remain uneaten as broodstock and numerous BG available to continue feeding our hopefully plump LMB for the next growing season? I think not. Plus too many submerged Naiad weeds are preventing the LMB from easily catching eating all the BG they need to do the good "growth thing" even if enough BG were present for each to get the amount of food needed for "good" RW. Remember activity and catching BG takes energy. Energy means more needed food intake.

If you are removing large BG - remember to remove mainly the females if you are wanting to grow. 9"-10" big BG. This female harvest method likely means fewer BG produced to feed aggressive hungry bass. Thus IMO skinner slower growing bass.