Well, of course Fla LMB actually DO bite, otherwise they wouldn't get so big. But they are typically much less aggressive than Northern strain LMB. Supreme Pondmeister Bob L has recounted visiting a hatchery where N and Fla LMB reacted very differently to a forage fish dropped in their tank. The Fla bass carefully scrutinized the fish, no big hurry. The Northern bass didn't waste any time scrutinizing, wolfing it down in a sudden frenzy.

You would think that, given feeding habits, the Northern LMB would outgrow Fla. But as we all know, that's not the case. So what gives?

In a recent Eric West (IIRC) article in PB magazine, he mentioned that researchers have found that southern LMB grow faster than northern LMB. However, BG grow pretty much at the same rate, south or north. Thus, southern BG are smaller compared with mouth size of average southern LMB, & thus more vulnerable to predation. Northern BG are roughly half as vulnerable, as they more quickly outgrow typical N LMB mouth size.

And, of course, southern BG spawn more often.

So what? Well, it would seem that we may have a classic case of adaptation to local conditions. Northern LMB don't have the number of BG to eat that their southern relatives do -- one BG spawn a year is pretty typical -- plus BG tend to grow beyond what N LMB can eat pretty rapidly. Southern or Fla LMB, on the other hand, can dine on multiple spawns of BG, plus with their larger mouth size can eat BG beyond what N LMB can.

Result: Northern LMB typically need to hustle more for food. A lot more. Aggression is rewarded, hesitation punished. Southern LMB don't need to be as aggressive & take risks to feed, so they don't.

I didn't say it was a good theory, just a theory.


7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160