Thank you for this background. Two things really popped to me that seemed to be connected. First, the lake once had abundant large fish and bass in excess of 10 lbs. Second, this period of great fishing was subsequent to a dam failure in 2005. Please let me know if this is wrong, but the 2005 event gives me the impression that the lake was drawn down over an extended period ... perhaps as long as a year or more ... or perhaps almost all of the water spilled taking many fish with it. It is not uncommon that after an extended period of draw down and subsequent to refilling a body of water is produces many large fish. Not sure if you were a member in 2005 or if you were participating before then but if the fishing was vastly improved upon refilling you have the evidence that drawdown and refilling was at least one of the factors that contributed to the great fishing that ensued. If any corrective action was done in preparation of refilling, other than repairing the dam of course, these may have also influenced the outcome.
Adding BG will require that you feed and/or fertilize and so if you do this then you must also feed. Though this will likely add many new YOY next year for your bass, it will not necessarily produce more YOY than other actions. We must keep in mind that these new fish will occupy space the YOY need to grow. They must be fed because there is only enough food being produced in the lake to feed the fish that are already there. It is entirely possible that just feeding the BG that are already there will produce more YOY. Also it is possible that fertilization may be more beneficial for producing YOY than feed will be. Given the amount of water flowing, I agree that inorganics are probably not the best approach to fertilization. But to fertilize the base of your food chain with an organic fertilizer like cottonseed meal or alfalfa meal might be far better at stimulating YOY growth and survival.
All it takes to grow large fish is a small number of them growing into a lot of fresh space. So when a lake is new, this situation exists. The same is true when a body of water has been drawn down over an extended period. Keeping, a body of water near the condition that prevails 5 year after filling is a challenge in and of itself. It can be done though following a cull regimen that you mention above. Many lakes in GA have been producing 10 lbs bass for many years but to do this members relentlessly cull LMB less than 3 lbs. 80 acres is a lot of water to cover even for 8 avid fishermen but you could probably do it. If you expand the fertility twice by feeding, you will have to twice as much of it to do ... so this is most definitely something you need to consider.
IMHO there is plenty of food and fertility for your BG to support a vibrant LMB population. I base this strictly on the evidence that you were once delighted with the fishing. So I think there is nothing wrong with the lakes capability to grow large fish it is just that too many smaller LMB are competing too heavily for the BG that the lake can naturally produce. One of the more interesting recommendations you received was that of a syphon system and its unfortunate that the primary owner will not agree to it. A siphon, with sufficient design, can be a very effective means to control pool. Especially on a large lake yours, having a means to draw down for dam repair or as management tool is very valuable asset. It can be used to concentrate fish annually to facilitate culling, enhance the growth of LMB by making prey more accessible, and as a weed control method. It could be justified simply for reducing the risks associated with dam failure which might be something the primary owner would give consideration to.
Before closing I would like to add these comments. It would seem some of your neighbors are unwilling or unable to pay for feed or fertilization. Since this cost will be carried solely by you, you must have confidence that they will not squander your investment. By this I mean, they are obliged to help with culling and if they fail in this regard your investment in feed and fertilization will fall short of the desired result. It is not uncommon that commitment to a cause is diminished by the lack of something to lose. Some call this moral hazard. You need to trust these men before covering their costs. Up front, you really should get the culling effort underway for a year or two before feeding/fertilizing anyway. Each bass you take leaves 700 or more BG for other bass to eat. When the structure begins to become concentrated in larger fish, this job will become easier and that would be a better time to commence the cost of feeding, when you have confidence your partners are dedicated to the goals you are.
Last edited by jpsdad; 11/30/20 08:31 AM.
