Originally Posted By: ewest
Very good question. The best answer is to monitor the population status and add more CNBG adults (or other forage) as needed over time. In his location and noting his anticipated use of tilapia and trout with feeding it will be a balancing act. A key factor here is that there should be no LMB reproduction (very important)as the need for lots of extra CNBG is greatly reduced. Rather than needing lots of extra CNBG to feed the LMB offspring you will instead need enough total forage to feed the single sex LMB population. In short you don't have to plan in advance to feed all those LMB babies over time. There is a huge difference in the forage needed to feed LMB in his plan vs a regular stocking plan. With that being said you then need to look to his goal wrt CNBG. The normal method/amount recommended for BG in a trophy LMB pond with reproducing LMB to keep ahead of the curve for the first 3 years IMO is 3000 per acre. That is not needed in his approach. Depending on what in the way of feed trained LMB , tilapia and trout to be added changes the CNBG equation. There is no reported science that I am aware of on this type of plan except one out of GA reported in PM mag a couple issues back. My best guess is to put in 1000 CNBG per acre and let them spawn before adding any LMB ( CNBG in spring and LMB the following spring). No harvest of CNBG for 2 years then assess and go from there. This assumes the use of tilapia , trout and feeding as needed. Monitor LMB RW and condition. Then in year 3 you can harvest some mid size CNBG as the condition and population status allows. This is a method to try and get big LMB and some big CNBG. The idea is to use data to anticipate needs in front of you and match them. For example I don't think you need tilapia in his plan until year 3 and trout about year 4 (not after those years but during). Feeding will make a big difference especially if the LMB eat pellets (from between 4 and 8 to 1 feeding efficiency gain using high quality pellets).


Do you have any experience fishing for LMB that are eating pellets? If so, does it affect their ability to be caught on normal artificial lures?

Honestly, I would prefer that the bass DO NOT eat the pellets....because I feel it is unnatural. The only reason I want to have a trophy LMB pond is to be able to catch trophy LMB on artificial lures.

If being pellet trained inhibits the LMB's natural instincts to go after lures, then that would be a bad thing in my opinion.

I remember fishing in a pond that had pellet trained striped bass, and they would not touch any type of artificial lure. That is certainly not what I am wanting.

Wade Abadie - Texas Agent & Land Specialist
www.whitetailproperties.com