The Official BASS Size Report Thread

[roadwarriorsvt]

Lately I've been researching pond/lake management issues. The below is a chart showing what a certain size largemouth bass should weigh at various lengths. This last year or two, it seem that as a whole, we have been catching, roughly, the same size LMB. Everyone refers to them as dinks. Sure, every once in a while someone will land a hog or two, but not with any consistency, sans one fishermen. I've been reading where "catch and release" has its place, but at some point, over crowding begins, and with limited bait fish, the bass (and peacocks) growth starts to slow.

What I'd like to do is start tracking the LMG and peacocks by documenting their length and weight. If you can note your results and either post them up here in this thread, e-mail them to me, or text them to me while you're still on the water, I will compile the stats and keep record as well as post up your stats here as well.

We won't need to keep doing this year round, just for a month here, (pre-spawn) a month in early summer (post spawn), etc., etc. Here is the chart that fisheries marine biologist Bob Lusk suggest is an appropriate length/weight ratio. BTW, if you're ever bored, go on Youtube and search "Bob Lusk" to see his numerous videos. He knows his stuff regarding pond construction, maintenance, pond/lake management, etc.

BTW, in no way is this a slight at the Wahiawa Middle School and the HFFA in their efforts to make our lake a better fishery. I'm just wondering if we should also be replenishing some forage for all the bass, such as bluegill.


Largemouth Bass Size Chart

Length Weight

10"----------------------------------------10oz
11"-----------------------11oz
12"----------------------------------------12oz
13"-----------------------1lb 2oz
14"----------------------------------------1lb 7oz
15"-----------------------1lb 13oz
16"----------------------------------------2lb 4oz
17"----------------------2lb 13oz
18"----------------------------------------3lb 4oz
19"----------------------3lb 14oz
20"----------------------------------------4lb 8oz

[roadwarriorsvt]

Just as a FYI:

Stan graciously provided me with his statistics, ranging from 9/2007 until 12/2010.

326 fish caught
238 were underweight (I gave a 1/2" in size and 4oz. in weight
in favor to our fish)
That is 73% of all the LMB and PB.

If one were to say that this chart does not apply to a PB since technically it is a ciclid:

35 LMB caught
19 were underweight.

That is still 54% of the LMB are underweight.


What do all of these silly numbers mean? If I'm correct in interpreting the lake management info, our lake may be over-crowded and/or under-populated with forage fish.

I would stil like to get some curent fish measured/weighed. I wonder how the extremely low water level affected the LMB/PB....

[shanai]

HFFA will be having their March tournament next weekend ( provided the water level remains high enough to launch ) so maybe we could record
lengths and weights of the bass for that day to see how they match up with the scale. ( I'm assuming you're measuring tip of nose to fork in tail )

I think the health of the fishery in Lake Wilson/Wahiawa Reservoir is a complex one that needs to take into account many things like fish species,
forage/feed, pollutants into the water, evasive species, fish game enforcement and maybe even looking at closed seasons ( breeding ) or closed areas of the lake during parts of the year. This seems like something DAR/DLNR would take the lead on with help from the fishing community. Would be interesting to determine what is a healthy number of fish that a lake the size of Lake Wilson could support given the variables found in other healthy systems.

I think that the Wahiawa Middle School hatchery was also trying to raise bluegills and other bait/feed fish so maybe someone with more information on this will post a response.

[roadwarriorsvt]

Good points Shanai. I think the high number of different species of fish and the volitile water levels definitely affect the fish. I know all the BG that the Wahiawa Middle School raises are shipped to Kauai. I don't know the specifics why though. Unfortunately, I think that the DLNR, being stretched thin and in a budget crunch as well, may not be in a position to do much, but its free to ask!

I'' be getting in touch with some marine biologist and present our statistics andd get some suggestions on what they mean and what steps we can take.

I'd like to be at the HFFA Tourney weigh in to record the fish lengths & weights. If someone could let me know where and when, I'll be there with pen & paper.

[BASSTRACKER]

personally id like to see crayfish restocked in the lake, i think the lmb would greatly benefit from it! and maybe the shad pop would be a little less taxed and the tucs and bass might get a bit bigger. also gotta remember though that gotta have a much larger base of smaller fish before you can get to the bigger fish. and really we havent had but a year of two of dinks. im hoping in another year or so those dinks will be hitting the 2lb mark.replaced by more dinks. then maybe in 5 years some 3-4lbers with lotsa dinks. im not ready to say over stocked on fish just yet, but if we do need to remove some biomass i think we oughta get rid of the red devils first not the gamefish!

[roadwarriorsvt]

This is true, to get bigger LMB/PB, you need smaller fish for their forage. I'm wondering what happened to all the LMB that were stocked in the lake in years past? Thoae should be today's lunkers.

[Ca_Bass]

You also have to consider that the northern bass grow much slower and don't get as old as florida bass. I have a book that shows the difference between the two..this study was done in el capitan reservoir california:

N. Lmb. F. Lmb
Age. Length weight. Age length weight
1 6.1 .2 1 5.9 .2
2 11.6 1.1 2 12.8 1.5
3 14.7 2.2 3 15.7 2.8
4 16.4 2.9 4 17.7 4.2
5 17.9 3.8 5 20.4 6.4
6 19.1 4.6 6 22.1 8.3
7 20.3 5.4 7 23.1 9.6
8. 20.4 5.5 8 23.4 10.1
9. -- 9 24.8 12.2
10. -- 10 25.6 13.3


Also the lack of aquatic vegitation I think is key as well. The bait fish I think need more places to hide. It would also boost oxygen levels.

I would agree with basstracker about the crawfish..that would be awesome for the lmb. I've read many things that say crawfish are the most nutrient rich food in a basses diet.

Most of the bass I've caught in the past two years although not huge have been really healthy. The "dinks" are fatter than a lot of the bigger bass I've caught caught. About 3 or 4 years back the few and far between bass I caught were really sickly looking.

The largest bass I've caught recently was 18" and about 4lbs to 4.5lbs(I didn't weigh him just guessing) it was on 11Oct2010. I think for the most part there is a good amount of food. There are a TON of cichlids to eat. More shad would probably boost growth. Or a shad species that got bigger that would probably help as well. I've also seen a lot more bluegill in the past year.

On days when I only target bass about 10% of the fish I catch are 2lbs or more the rest are between 10oz to 1.5lbs.

Another thing I think is key, is it is common place to use smaller lures on wilson. Try bumping your lure sizes up or use lures that are more likely to catch larger fish and you will find the bigger bass. Full size spinner baits, larger crankbaits, big topwaters, jigs and the larger size creature baits. You will still catch some "dinks" but you will catch more 2lbs+ fish. I haven't documented this but when I use "big fish" lures my % probably jumps up to about 15% or 20% 2lb+ fish. Also the bigger ones I catch here are usually a deeper. I have no clue why.

Again I agree with basstracker, I think one of the biggest things that hurt bass growth at the lake are the red devils. They eat everything up. I caught a nice one almost 2lbs on a jig in last months tournament..I actually thought I had a nice bass on and was supprised to see it ate by big jig. But they are everywhere and they seem to eat everything large or small. I really think florida strain largemouth would be one of the only ways to make a dent on the red devil population.


Maybe some zebra mussels would help clear the water up

But I will keep track of weights and lengths from now on and forward them to you.

[roadwarriorsvt]

Thanks Ca_Bass. Stan and I talked about bringing in some FL strain LMB until we found out it is ILLEGAL to import any bass into the state. Go figure...


Stan & Shane's recordings 3-7-11:

Species--------Weight----------Length
PB,--------------1.5 lb-------------12.5" -----Tag # 4085
PB---------------3 lb,--------------18.5" -----# 4086
LMB--------------1 lb---------------12" -------# 4087
PB---------------1.5 lb-------------13.5" -----# 4088
LMB-------------1 lb----------------12.5" -----# 4089
PB---------------2 1/4 lb-----------17" -------# 4090
PB---------------1 lb----------------12.5" -----# 4091
PB---------------1 1/4 lb-----------13.5" -----# 4092

[Stan Wright]

Add to that list a 2 lb largemouth and a 2 1/2 lb Largemouth that Shane caught today. (Didn't tag these 2)

He was killing me today with that stupid buzz bait of his.


It was a good day!

[Ca_Bass]

The format for the size comparison got messed up when I submitted the msg I will try to fix it this evening.

[djverve05]

Don't hate on the buzzbait. I've been telling you the buzzbait is a killer lure in the mainland. I've caught more bass on a buzzbait than any other lure in my box. Maybe you should come to the darkside Stan and use a buzzbait. Another key to a buzzbait is to use the ones with a clacker. I've had far more success with a clacker buzzbait than a traditional one. Bass Pro sells them.

[roadwarriorsvt]

Add to that list a 2 lb largemouth and a 2 1/2 lb Largemouth that Shane caught today.

Do you have their lengths?

[Stan Wright]

Sorry, no length on the last 2 bass. Shane might remember.


Your right about that clacker on the buzz bait...
His had them. (looking through the tackle boxes even as we speak.)

[Ca_Bass]

I've never caught a fish on a buzzbait. I probably haven't spent more than 20 mins using one. Its hard to comit to them when I just look at one and lose confidence in a buzzbait. I guess you just have to stick with em for a day and catch a few.

[roadwarriorsvt]

Thats typical fisherman for ya! Just think of buzzbaits as spinnerbaits with a little more to offer!