In my experience, stunted LMB grow remarkably well when there is sufficient food (means little competition). One must meter his expectations within the constraints of carrying capacity and the limits nature imposes. We know the pond contained in excess of 225 LMB per acre because that's the harvest so far in the first year of numbers management. If the pond originally had 450 LMB per acre, then we could only expect the harvest thus far to double the weight the remaining LMB. That is ... all other things being equal.
But they are not equal, BG have been introduced and they compete with LMB for a portion of what they were eating. Large insects. So as for the large insects the LMB were consuming they now have to share that resource with BG and since the BG are recruiting, they also compete by consuming the prey of large insects and some of the large insects when they are smaller in size. The results thus far are consistent with this scenario.
The thing we need to keep in mind is that the presence of BG will not increase the carrying capacity for LMB. The effect relative to "LMB only" may even be to negatively impact LMB carrying capacity. What the BG do is make possible a smaller number of much larger LMB. Its early in the game and the original BG could make it > 2 lbs. So what to do from here in many ways depends on what the OP's goals are.
1997, if you are enjoying the large BG the goal of larger LMB will conflict. But anthropic's idea of a handful of feed trained LMB in the 8" to 10" sizes would allow you to grow some dandy sized LMB that are less dependent on the food chain. They should also take chunked BG that you cull. If a small number of LMB can bypass the food chain for nutrition and be fed with little competition from other LMB they can grow large. It would be like having cake and getting to eat it.
Last edited by jpsdad; 06/21/22 08:06 AM.
