Many questions here and most will fall back on if you want large SMB, large YP, etc..
One thing I can add on your hunt for additional forage is SFS are very specific in their habitat requirements for spawning. I've spent 3 yrs playing with the spotfin and have had very little success. Bill Cody probably has had more success than anyone else I know of.
I have also been playing with Red shiner and Bluntnose minnow-both are recruiting outstandingly. In fact, in my 3 ponds I have FHM and BNM, the BNM is out-producing the FHM. The red shiners have exploded also. This years fry are 75% BNM, 25% FHM.
I'm trying to trap and separate RSH but they just keep showing up. I'm seeing lots of fry the last couple of weeks in my main pond of which I am pretty sure are Red shiner because I see the same late fry stages in my other ponds right now,
You need to decide what your main goal is and a plan can be implemented to start culling where needed. I don't think the RES will be a problem but large YP and large SMB will be a bit more complicated. Decide what you want and I'm sure you'll be directed in the right manner to get close to what it is you expect.
I will add one more thing.. The SMB are not keying on RES in a major way or you would see much fewer.. To me this indicates SMB are keying in on another forage type.
Last edited by Snipe; 08/23/21 01:52 PM.
