Normal Growth rates - 04/17/03 04:06 AM
Guys, I have a question about the growth rate of my bass, but let me do it in story fashion since this really got a lot of laughs.
My 2-acre pond was stocked for the first time with Bluegill in Feb 2000 and Bass in June 2000. I put in 2000 BG, 200 bass. I feed 2-3 times daily during March-November and Fertilize during the same period. Through last Fall, the largest bass caught was 3.5 lbs. with lots of others in the 1-2.5 range. They're all healthy, well-rounded, not skinny, so I'm assuming the population is pretty well balanced. I'm now tracking it more closely and comparing to some of the published charts. Lots of bluegill of all sizes. All appears to be fine.
Well, this past Sunday I caught about 10 in the 1-3 pound range early a.m. and a few more late afternoon. About dark, my neighbor shows up with a friend and the friend's Girlfriend who's fished only a few times in her life. I'm packing up to go home, but they want to catch a few BG so we wait around a little while. She's got a Zebco 33, bream hook, and a dead cricket, fishing right in front of my feeder. It's so dark, you can't even see the cork. About this time, she says "I think I've got one!" Then we hear a splash that sounds like SHE fell in. Not so, but she barely gets the fish to the bank and my friend grabs it. We can't believe this thing. It's by far the largest bass yet. I get out my trusty BogaGrip and it measures 6 pounds! Bigger than anything I've caught in my pond or elsewhere - Life is just not fair. We released the bass and I'll be after him from now on (unless the neighbor's already snatched it!).
I'm a proud papa, but just wonder if I can expect others of that size. I picture this mama hanging out around the feeder, having a banquet on the BlueGill.
Anyway, is a 6 pounder normal for less than 3 years of growth?
As always, thanks for the information.
Dave
My 2-acre pond was stocked for the first time with Bluegill in Feb 2000 and Bass in June 2000. I put in 2000 BG, 200 bass. I feed 2-3 times daily during March-November and Fertilize during the same period. Through last Fall, the largest bass caught was 3.5 lbs. with lots of others in the 1-2.5 range. They're all healthy, well-rounded, not skinny, so I'm assuming the population is pretty well balanced. I'm now tracking it more closely and comparing to some of the published charts. Lots of bluegill of all sizes. All appears to be fine.
Well, this past Sunday I caught about 10 in the 1-3 pound range early a.m. and a few more late afternoon. About dark, my neighbor shows up with a friend and the friend's Girlfriend who's fished only a few times in her life. I'm packing up to go home, but they want to catch a few BG so we wait around a little while. She's got a Zebco 33, bream hook, and a dead cricket, fishing right in front of my feeder. It's so dark, you can't even see the cork. About this time, she says "I think I've got one!" Then we hear a splash that sounds like SHE fell in. Not so, but she barely gets the fish to the bank and my friend grabs it. We can't believe this thing. It's by far the largest bass yet. I get out my trusty BogaGrip and it measures 6 pounds! Bigger than anything I've caught in my pond or elsewhere - Life is just not fair. We released the bass and I'll be after him from now on (unless the neighbor's already snatched it!).
I'm a proud papa, but just wonder if I can expect others of that size. I picture this mama hanging out around the feeder, having a banquet on the BlueGill.
Anyway, is a 6 pounder normal for less than 3 years of growth?
As always, thanks for the information.
Dave