Dd Largemouth Forage Size Preference

[NorcalBassin]

The California DFW just quietly announced they will start planting 1/4 pound trout instead of the customary 1/2 pounders in 2015 to cut down on costs. I'm not looking make this political (controversial change since they're planning on planting 1.6 million lbs but by law supposed to plant 2.75 lbs of trout/license which = around 2.75 million pounds), but this change got me thinking...

 

The small trout are going to decrease the appeal for guys looking to put trout on the table for dinner, so we'll technically have smaller and more plentiful trout for the bass to feed on. Assuming this becomes the new norm, it seems as though the number of 5-10 lb bass would significantly increase over the years. However, will the lack of 10-12" trout the big girls historically feed on all winter long eventually decrease the number of 10+ pounders in the system? Interested in hearing your thoughts...

[Dwight Hottle]

It might not make any difference. A pound of trout consumed is the same whether it be 2 or 4 except they have to eat twice as often. The trout bucketeers might fish more often or longer to compensate for the reduced size. Lots of variables in that equation. Since they are stocking less weight the obvious conclusion would be that the bass don't reach as heavy a weight as they had under the old program. The good thing is they will still be stocking that high protein food source.    

[A-Jay]

It will be very interesting to see how this shakes out. 

 

I thought they had stopped stocking for a while and if that is the case, the reintroduction could have a banner effect short term.  If they do not continue it, it may be short lived or have little effect at all.

If the program continues for the next several season's the "Good Old Days" could return.

 

Another thought might be since the trout entering the system are smaller, and once the bass in these lakes acclimate to that,  the size of the swim baits of choice may decrease accordingly as well.  

 

A-Jay

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Any trout nuggets planted in your system is better than no trout nuggets planted in your system.

 

I'm actually thinking it may be beneficial for the angler in that big fish will have to eat higher numbers of trout to get the same benefit. I can see that increasing your odds of fooling big mama with a swimbait. The downside to that is more of the real thing in the water = less chance of you fooling big mama.

[gobig]

I don't think it will change a thing. A 4oz trout is still aprox 8in. People also forget about the kokanee and other salmon projects that have never ceased. How do you think those Bullards fish get so big? I can't speak for So Cal but up north we are still on an upward trend. Everything is big even the shad.

[fisherrw]

Very interesting I'm going to have to read about that....

[NorcalBassin]

Thanks for the replies... bummer this got moved to the wasteland of Western Bass Fishing so fast since most of the guys on the boards that would reply never visit that section.

[roadwarrior]

You are right...We'll make an exception here.  Back to "General".

 

-Kent

[everythingthatswims]

I don't think it will change a thing. A 4oz trout is still aprox 8in. People also forget about the kokanee and other salmon projects that have never ceased. How do you think those Bullards fish get so big? I can't speak for So Cal but up north we are still on an upward trend. Everything is big even the shad.

Guess they better make an 8" derps

[WRB]

The waste land of western bass fishing........

Most of the members believe California bass are fat and lazy from eating trout all the time and could care less if the planted trout are 1/4 lbs instead of big mac's.

I am happy for any trout plants to resume!

Tom

[Mattlures]

These little trout are the best for growing big bass. When the DFG is stocking the bigger trout, the bass have to grow big enough to start eating them. Now with these little trout, even the small bass can start eating them and get a jump on growing fast in their early years. In other words with big trout a 5 pound bass might be 4 years old. Now a 5 pounder might only be 2 or 3 years old. Plus if the lakes stock trout from any other source besides the dfg they will be bigger trout. The best would be a mix of trout from 1/4 to 2 pounds. But I think the smaller ones are better then the bigger ones but we will have to see.

[Catt]

Interesting...very interesting

[ColdSVT]

DD Largemouth eats what ever DD largemouth wants! Mostly lol

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Guess they better make an 8" derps

 

They do, it's called a 175. LOL

[geo g]

Nothing about California big bass fishing seems normal. Florida strain bass are brought in from the southeast, supplied with an easy food supply and then resupplied every year, all in a controlled limited environment. Sounds like fishing a big aquarium. I have never fished out there, but have read a few good articles. They do grow monster bass!!!!!

[AK-Jax86]

I wish we had trout to feed the bass here in Jacksonville, FL. I see the Cali guys on my Facebook and Instagram slaying big bass left and right all on swimbaits.

I think it will increase the number of big bass and make the big one more prone to strike since the size of the prey will be generally smaller.

[deep]

What you don't see though are the skunk streaks. Only the real sticks catch big fish often; for regular joes, it's a bunch of long fishless days occasionally punctuated by a bass here and one there.

[WRB]

1/4,lb planted trout are close to 6" fish, 8" are about 1/3 lb, 12" about 3/4 lb to 1 lb fish. The standard stocks are mostly between 8" to 12", with some 6" fish in the mix.

Bass also eat any fish in the 3" to 6" range.including young of the year bass, catfish, carp, bluegill, crappie, shad, shiners, sucker, sculpin, etc. the planted trout are similar to wild golden shiners found in Florida.

The big issue is the total pounds of trout planted with be cut by 50%. The lakes I fish are resuming plants after a 5 year period of no trout plants and that will help augment the food supply.

Tom

[everythingthatswims]

They do, it's called a 175. LOL

I thought 175 was 175mm like the s-waver sizes  my mistake

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Technically it's 6.88" but it's on par size-wise with the 8" Hudd.

 

It doesn't have the glide of the 250 out of the box. With a little tinkering, it's not too bad though.

[WRB]

The ABT Suicide glide is 7" and works very good out of the box.

Tom

[NorcalBassin]

The ABT Suicide glide is 7" and works very good out of the box.

Tom

It does look pretty sweet...

[everythingthatswims]

Technically it's 6.88" but it's on par size-wise with the 8" Hudd.

 

It doesn't have the glide of the 250 out of the box. With a little tinkering, it's not too bad though.

I may end up purchasing one eventually. First I'm gonna wait for all of eternity for my negotiator to arrive. Knew it was a bad sign when they took them off TW.

[Jtrout]

My local lake is 37 acres and stocked with rainbow trout I should really get some trout swimbaits. Always thought they were eating the trout it was confirmed when I was talking to a guy who showed me a picture of a five+ pounder he caught with a 12 in trout in his gullet just the tail was sticking out and he still wanted a lipless crankbait.

[everythingthatswims]

My local lake is 37 acres and stocked with rainbow trout I should really get some trout swimbaits. Always thought they were eating the trout it was confirmed when I was talking to a guy who showed me a picture of a five+ pounder he caught with a 12 in trout in his gullet just the tail was sticking out and he still wanted a lipless crankbait.

 

The east coast has some fish bowls that get stocked that also hold big bass, there is only so much area for a trout to run when the lake is tiny. I'm going to fish a lake today that is <5 acres and is stocked 8 times a year.