Catch-and-release sounds great—but if you want trophy bass, selective harvest is often the better choice. Here’s why managing small bass is key to fishery success.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/catch-release-good.html

 

There's a small lake within 10 minutes from me that is the perfect example. 

 

You can catch a ton of 12 inchers but there's not many more than that. Biggest all summer was 15" I think.

 

Very nice bluegills and crappies though.

 

Spent the majority of my fishing at this lake last summer. Only 20 acres so perfect for my kayak, and like I said close.

 

Get off work at 4:00 and I'm in the water by 4:30.

 

It's fun, but no lunkers.

 

 

Al started it back in the 70's, I still preach it - Selective Harvest for the win all around.

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Al started it back in the 70's, I still preach it - Selective Harvest for the win all around.

 

I too believe in selective harvest, but I just don't enjoy eating bass. Maybe I should try bass again.

Good article. This matches what I read from other fish biologists concerning pond and lake management when the goal is trophy size bass. Thanks for posting!

Once belonged to a 80 acres lake with annual dues. The members complained about the small size of the bass. Got a call from the lady who managed the lake facilities to come to a meeting with a State Rep. from the wildlife dept. He told us to keep all the small bass and eat them or give them away. The larger bass were stunted because of over population. One of the few times instructed to do selective harvest with my catch. Did so.

Good Fishing

If you are talking about a truly “managed” fishery, you have considerations beyond just trophy fish.  If it’s a community lake or pond the emphasis is probably more on numbers than size.  That’s a management strategy as well.  Our local electric only lakes that have boat and kayak rentals are more concerned with the high probability of catching numbers more than the size of the catch.  Keeping in mind overpopulation May also affect the overall health of the fishery as a management consideration.  

The bar graph in the article does not represent the water I fish. I rarely catch a 12-inch bass. Same with 13 and 14-inch bass. The bass I catch largely begin at 15 inches. Plus, the 18-inchers I catch are not 5% of my total catch. They're at least twice that and on a good morning, four times that.

22 hours ago, TOXIC said:

If you are talking about a truly “managed” fishery, you have considerations beyond just trophy fish.  If it’s a community lake or pond the emphasis is probably more on numbers than size.  That’s a management strategy as well.  Our local electric only lakes that have boat and kayak rentals are more concerned with the high probability of catching numbers more than the size of the catch.  Keeping in mind overpopulation May also affect the overall health of the fishery as a management consideration.  

The Fisheries Dept. in my state stocks a few of its fishing lakes with Northern strain largemouth bass instead of Florida strain because they are more catchable compared to the Florida strain. 

Good Fishing

I do my part.

I'd like to think of Lake Norman as a shining example of this. You will be hard put to find a spotted bass over the 2 pound average in Norman. I'm not saying it's not possible because I have seen some 5+ pound spots come out of Normie just not likely. I have never caught a largemouth in Norman. Not that they're not there but I'm a spotted bass guy from Hartwell so i stick with what I know. So much so that it's become a numbers lake. The last tournament I fished on Norman The winning bag to smallest bag was from 12 pounds to 8 pounds out of a 50 boat tourney.

Selective Harvest > Catch and Release all LMB

 

I've changed my tune over the last 4 years for sure.

On 4/24/2025 at 2:40 PM, HawkeyeSmallie said:

There's a small lake within 10 minutes from me that is the perfect example. 

 

You can catch a ton of 12 inchers but there's not many more than that. Biggest all summer was 15" I think.

 

Very nice bluegills and crappies though.

 

Spent the majority of my fishing at this lake last summer. Only 20 acres so perfect for my kayak, and like I said close.

 

Get off work at 4:00 and I'm in the water by 4:30.

 

It's fun, but no lunkers.

 

 

Big bluegills and/or crappie almost always = small bass in a smaller body of water. These fish are competing with the bass for the main forage, minnows. and these two species have gotten too big for a small bass to eat. The introduction of another forage species like shad or shiners can help. 

On 4/25/2025 at 10:42 AM, Swamp Girl said:

The bar graph in the article does not represent the water I fish. I rarely catch a 12-inch bass. Same with 13 and 14-inch bass. The bass I catch largely begin at 15 inches. Plus, the 18-inchers I catch are not 5% of my total catch. They're at least twice that and on a good morning, four times that.

Poor gal

I have three ponds near me that are managed by the state.  You used to be able to catch 4, 5, and 6 pounders out of them.  About 12 years ago they made those ponds C&R.  Now if you catch a bass that weighs a pound you are ahead of the curve.