Al's description of what it takes to grow LMB on forage is an accurate one. All of the costs described are costs of opportunity and so they are costs that a formal fish hatchery must consider if they are going to grow forage fed LMB in advanced or adult sizes. Is easy to understand why a fish hatchery doesn't want to take on the risk of growing large LMB on forage. They would like to help their customers do it which means they will never have to justify to you why a large LMB grown on forage is priced the way it must be.
Generally a private fish hatchery (DOWs are exceptions) won't do this and the fish in advanced sizes that you purchase will have been primarily supported or almost entirely supported by feed. Depending on the density in the brood fish carrying ponds, even the very large adults can be supported substantially with feed. When a fish hatchery sells a large LMB, they are simply managing their brood stock and the price charged can be substantially less than what they have in the fish. The fish would otherwise destroyed at no income at all so it makes sense to sell it for a price a consumer will readily pay. Brood fish pay their way by producing seed and that crop justifies their maintenance.
IMHO, the value is much greater for LMB of equivalent size and of equivalent age when grown entirely on forage instead of a high proportion of feed. The difference in the cost to grow them to that size should be all the explanation one needs (forage fed LMB cost much more) but there are many other reasons I'll let everyone give consideration to. Al you did awesome growing those bass and I think they were worth every bit of your effort and investment.
Last edited by jpsdad; 01/22/21 09:20 AM.
