Originally Posted By: NEDOC
Originally Posted By: jpsdad
I think this its a great idea. I'll add a couple of thoughts.

It may make no difference but I would probably abstain from F1s that are feed trained. My preference would be F1s that have depended on fish forage and that are skilled predators. So by fall you could grow F1s exceeding 1.5 lbs provided they are stocked at an appropriate weight.

I recall that you can completely drain the forage pond which is great also for this purpose. Consider this progression or improvise to improve. Fill forage pond winter and early spring stock 20 lbs/acre FHM during fill up. Add current year crop F1 fingerlings as soon as available @100 per acre. Early July add 40 pair/acre adult BG. If in October all you had left were primarily the Adult BG and F1 LMB ... it would be ideal as the LMB would have efficiently cropped the minnows and BG YOY production.

The next step is to remove the F1 female LMB. A broom straw from a plastic broom is the best method for sexing the LMB. I've attached a link below that describes the method. Be sure to fin clip to be sure the F1s are not later culled accidentally.


https://www.researchgate.net/publication...f27df8/download



This is incredible information. I'd love for some fellow pond bossers to put a thread together with youtube videos showing how quickly and easily this may be done. Also, I wonder if it works on smb as well as it does on lmb.


Fin clip idea is excellent. One worry I have is that I'd unknowingly harvest the Tiger bass I just stocked! frown

7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160