Pond Boss
Posted By: Tbar When To Cull Large Bass - 05/13/20 02:21 AM
I caught a 5.07# LMG tonight that was 24” long, skinny and had a bucket mouth.

I threw it back in hoping it would put some weight on this summer.

Should I have culled it?


[Linked Image from ]
Posted By: Bocomo Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/13/20 03:53 AM
Might be spawned out. Look at that bloody tail.
Posted By: anthropic Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/13/20 04:07 AM
If it looks like that in the fall I'd cull it. Hopefully just spawned out now.
Posted By: Snipe Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/13/20 04:49 AM
5lbs and 24" is not a spawned out female, it's end-of- life stage. The red tail should/can be present on males from fanning the nest. Females would seldom clean a nest out.
Posted By: Flame Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/13/20 12:02 PM
I agree a 24 inch fish should weigh near 8 pounds. Ain't no way she had 3 pounds of eggs in her! Something else going on. Snipe, I sent you a private message.
Posted By: ewest Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/13/20 03:35 PM
How do the rest of your LMB look - condition wise ?

Could be age aggravated by spawn. LMB can lose 30 % of their weight during the spawn. Could be not enough food or sick. I would have kept the fish and done age analysis if your other LMB seem healthy. If she has spawned (likely several times) then her genes are still there in offspring.
Posted By: Tbar Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/22/20 01:56 AM
Ok, the scales that weighed the above fish at 5#’s weighed this fish at 3.68#’s. 😡

Throwing this away and will have to buy a new one. Any suggestions?


[Linked Image from ]
Posted By: ItalyBASS Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/22/20 05:33 AM
I habe a 15 lb rapala touch screen scale and I m very happy of it.
Posted By: Tbar Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/22/20 02:37 PM
ID10T error. It was set on kilograms.

3.68 kiograms = 8.11 pounds.
Posted By: anthropic Re: When To Cull Large Bass - 05/22/20 07:55 PM
Originally Posted by Tbar
ID10T error. It was set on kilograms.

3.68 kiograms = 8.11 pounds.

It sounds better in 3,680 grams. But all kidding aside, congrats on a great fish!
© Pond Boss Forum