Feed Trained LMB

[Sandbilly]

Originally Posted by Aquaman

I think you make several valid points. I believe that the ticket to large fish, and this includes fish that aren't artificially fed as well, lies in the OFT, or "Optimal Foraging Theory". This essentially states that a fish needs to get the most calories in, vs. the most calories out. That's why high prey density, especially vulnerable prey, is essential in growing huge fish. Pellets only partially fit the bill, because they aren't probably as nutritious as a golden shiner or rainbow trout, but they don't take much effort to chase down.

Just remember that you really need to emphasize having LOTS of natural forage, even in "fed" situations.

Like These?



This one was 21 1/4" long and weighed 6 lbs. 1 oz.



This one was 19 3/4" long.


This one was 19" long.


My two boys said it was their best ice fishing trip ever. I'll include some pictures of their pike and bluegill later.

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Aquaman, IYO, Why do bass from Ne Sandhill lakes rarely exceed 8lbs? Is it due to water temp fluctuations?

These bad boys are well fed naturally. (Sorry, don't mean you or your boys, dreamin of fishin.)

dc

[Aquaman]

Those are some gorgeous fish. Wow!

My opinion on largemouth bass "top end" size in the sandhills is based mostly on what I've read from Daryl, and gleaned from other G and P biologists.

To summarize:

1. Northern strain largemouth are just not genetically predisposed to get much over eight pounds. Nine pound northern LMB are just rare anywhere you get in the country.

2. Cooler climate means that it takes many more years to get to the eight-plus realm. More years = more harsh winters to survive with the chronically low dissolved oxygen that you see in some sandhills lakes.

3. There are likely a few more eight pound fish than you realize, but in order to get that size this big female must be ultra selective in what she eats. She's probably not an experimenter when it comes to artificial offerings, or else she'd have been caught and handled many times, or taken home for dinner--both bad for odds of reaching over eight pounds.

[Willie Boy]

I'm reminded of the 'sperment IA DNR conduced at Green Valley...minimum length limit of 22"... even then, they couldn't grow bass over the 20-21 inch length..

There are just some 'genetic limits'...like, the odds of anyone in my family ever hittin 6'8" and a vertical leap of 30" are not impossible, just prohibitive...

And yep, those were, 'ARE', outstanding fish any time of the year...would have guessed them bigger, then maybe, size of the angler is confusing...