I'm glad to hear the growth is okay. I don't know if this is just me, but the small bass seem really elongated. As in, they don't really look like "real" bass when you look at their profile in the water. I wonder if any of them will reach a decent size by the end of this summer.
I don't really know what I should do about these bass. One one hand, my trout seem very healthy. They are really agressive when I'm fishing for them, and I have caught at least four since the ice went out. They seem fat and large in general, around 26" long. I think, as you mentioned last year, the trout has a massive advantage over the bass until around now. Since we've had such a cold Spring, the trout has been active for months, while the bass were only visible this week. Because of the trout seeming fine, I really don't know what to do about the bass. I don't think it is at all possible for me to catch them all, especially with the larger ones being really smart.
Because of that, would it be best if I just:
1. Leave them be.
2. Catch and keep as many as possible to help them grow.
3. Stock bait fish.
The problem with option 2 is that there are so many that it's really hard to catch even a good percentage of then. They are also pretty careful now about being caught and are so skittish.
Option 3 is okay, but finding fish is a big pain where I am, and I am sort of weary of adding even more fish, considering I don't know what else the person added. He said he also added trout, but those could have been anything. He basically caught fish somewhere else and dropped them in.
I can try the minnow method if I catch some in my pond near the shallows, which is possible.
In terms of the person adding the fish, it's very irritating, although there is nothing I can do about it now. The only way I found out was by seeing him fishing by the pond. We asked him what he was doing there, and he explained the stocking he did. There is a little more to the story that makes what he did somewhat understandable (he thought he had permission).
Anyways, thanks again, Bill, and I am interested to see what you say about the information above.
