bassrecord

What are your goals (primary and secondary) for this project? For example a dentist in south Texas is attempting to grow and catch the next IGFA World Record. My relatives did not know what they were doing with their pond or cared. Many goals are possible between these two extremes. What's yours? Just asking. For example if your goal is to beat Perry's 22 # 4 oz. like the dentist, then you should be adding pure Florida strain stock each year since *** to maximize about a 7% Florida strain in the young of the year. This is what Texas and Florida do. But if you haven't been adding any pure Florida strain fingerlings since *** (The California and Arkansas approach) your intergrade hybrids are probably 100% containing mostly Nothern strain genes. As the proportion of Northern strain genes goes up in hybrids and Florida strain genes goes down the chance of beating Perry's record falls also. If that was your goal, it's probably unrealistic now. If your goal is NOT to catch the biggest bass, what is it? The lake is exploding with plant and animal growth. Is any invasive species present? Do you catch and release? Is year-around dissolved oxygen suitable? Is the pH level satisfactory? Do you night fish? As your bass get larger have you noticed the larger ones becoming more picky at your lures? Have you electroshocked and measured prey? If you do not have firm goals, my suggestion is to invite two pond biologists and ask them to give you a proposal for goal development. Choose one or none. Oh, yeah. You can always do like my relatives. Drain the lake and start over. Anyway, good luck, now go fish. John