Big fish vs. Small fish

[Smiths.R]

The water is starting to get warm enough for fish to be in the shallows now.  My question is this:  If I come to a nice little pool of protected water, and there are multiple small bass (8-12''), and school's of bluegill moving around, is it safe to assume that there are no big bass hanging around there?  I came to a little pocket today with about 6 small bass, and the bluegill were everywhere.  Didn't know if they would hang around there if there was a big predator around as well. 

Give me your wisdom!!

[Red Bear]

i would almost bet there are bigger bass lurking in that area looking for a bluegill to snack on. perhaps waiting for the smaller bass to chase some of the bluegill out to them. what i would do, if legal in your state, is try and catch one of the smaller bluegills there, throw him out on a hook and let him jerk around, a bass big enough to eat him will likely show up out of nowhere and slam the bluegill

[WRB]

If the smaller prey fish, both the small bass and bluegill are prey fish to adult size bass, are swimming around in a relaxed manner, the local big bass are more than likely resting or inactive. When the prey fish disappear suddenly, then you know a big predator is active nearby.

WRB

[Smiths.R]

WRB

That is what I was thinking...these fish are lounging around like they own the place.  I figured if a big cow was hanging around, they would'nt be so relaxed.

[Raul]

The water is starting to get warm enough for fish to be in the shallows now. My question is this: If I come to a nice little pool of protected water, and there are multiple small bass (8-12''), and school's of bluegill moving around, is it safe to assume that there are no big bass hanging around there? I came to a little pocket today with about 6 small bass, and the bluegill were everywhere. Didn't know if they would hang around there if there was a big predator around as well.

Give me your wisdom!!

Predators and prey coexist together and prey isn 't always worried about having a predator hanging around, the predatory response of a predator happens when/if the predator detects signs of weakness or the opportunity to ****** the prey, if that doesn 't happen the predator doesn 't enter in predatory mood. So assuming that there are no big predators around because you see prey  is a wrong assumption.

[Smiths.R]

Another excellent point!!  I guess whenever I see prime big bass habitat, I will assume there is probably a prime big bass there.

[WRB]

WRB

That is what I was thinking...these fish are lounging around like they own the place. I figured if a big cow was hanging around, they wouldn't be so relaxed.

Think of lions laying under a shade tree and all the prey animals ignoring them as long as the lions are lazy or sleeping. When a lion gets up and looks around, the prey animals start to distance themselves for survival.

A big bass could be close, just not in an active mood and the prey fish can sense the change in activity or they don't survive.

WRB

[Smiths.R]

WRB  I actually had that exact thought today!  Great analogy.