For LMB overpopulated waters, which is most, harvest is a key management tool. Take out the underperformers, throw back the healthiest. General rule of thumb in the South is below 14 inches, harvest, unless it is fat & aggressive. Above 14 inches, don't harvest, unless it is underweight.
But there seem to be two schools of thought about really small LMB, say, below 8 inches. On the one hand, they make good forage for the big LMB, so should not be harvested. On the other, they eat small forage fish themselves, like BG, that could have fed larger LMB. That being so, the little guys should be harvested.
I tend to throw back LMB under 8 inches, but maybe I shouldn't. What say you?
Last edited by anthropic; 03/28/21 06:03 PM.
