OK, so the good news is that you should be able to add 12" to 14" LMB successfully. They will have plenty to eat. How many? depends on how big you want them to grow but I think you need about 12/acre to start and then after a couple of years, add two/acre and take 1/acre every year. The add stock should be LMB that are experienced at foraging. I would only use pellet trained LMB as a last resort. Its OK to stretch that 12/acre over 3 or 4 years and then after that go to add 2 take 1.
It is unlikely that at such high density of forage that the LMB could spawn. BG, BH, and GSH would relentlessly attack the nests. This is OK for a goal of growing large LMB. Be selective about the fish you add. Use the straw method to determine sex and try to add only females. They grow faster and have longer lifespans.
A fair warning. There will not be a lot of LMB and they will be well fed. Fishing for LMB will be slow compared to what you have been accustomed to. But soon you should have LMB exceeding 6 lbs if you follow this regimen. The proposed stocking with continued ladder stocking should foster a sustainable put & take and possibly catch and release Trophy LMB fishery. Your biggest threat is unwanted recruitment of LMB.
Last edited by jpsdad; 05/23/20 04:56 AM.
