Your solution is exactly what La Perla ranch is doing. Stocking SAL bass, culling every year. Pumping the lake with bait, and significantly limiting pressure. I guess that was 7 years ago. So is that 20lber coming in 2025?

here is the thread about the lake and idea. And they have already made a cull and released the 2lbers into falcon. I know they did it once, but I would love it if they didn't every year. I think it would help their lake too.
https://texasfishingforum.com/forum...gs-in-jalisco-lake-la-perla#Post10160471

Is there any lake in Texas that has not been regularly stocked with Florida genetics? Would be a great reference point if there were. I still believe many of our lakes in Texas are not suited habitat or climate wise for Florida genetics. It's just a theory though based on what I have seen in private ponds and small private lakes. Be nice to have a few lakes with northern strain bass in them. At that point we might actually have a few lake that don't completely suck to fish in the Fall and winter.

One thing u cant do is compare deer hunting to bass fishing you can manage deer more than you can manage bass because you can almost see how many deer you have and cull out bad genetics you cant do that with bass.
Theres no comparison at all. Hell we all get our panties in a wad when you here about people filleting bass, truth is there is a carrying capacity for bass just like there is deer maybe just not as much. We truthfully arent taking enough smaller bass from our lakes as we should until then we may never see a true trophy bass of 17+lbs.

Remember when new lakes are built there's probably more forage for these bass than 10+ years down the road when the lake has had years of growth from the past spawns and the lakes may have more bass in them after 10+ years than up to those first few years of growing. This goes for bass and forage.

I'm familiar with Doc's work

I agree they need to start stocking more bait fish in addition to the bass.

I have a place at Ivie and have had since 2007, I am there several weekends a month. The first thing I used to do when I got there was look at the dumpster at the fish cleaning station just to see if anything was being caught. I have seen hundreds of fish carcasses that were in the 8-12 and even bigger range. People have been taking big ones out of there for years. They are legally caught fish, people will do with them what they please. Like it or not JMO

Deer Breeders breed the best to the best and that is what they need to do with the Bass in the SAL.

Way more comparison than you think.

That is why you are saying take out the culls. Well they are breeding the fish to Culls.

So my friend you are wrong when you think they are not similar in breeding programs.

Fork has plenty of bait fish but Bass Numbers per acre are low compared to other lakes in Texas.

Need to go on a shock boat sometime.

Last I heard from the TPW on stocking Florida strain and buying them was they are to expensive that is why they try and create their own version by the SAL Program.

All lakes would be better off if the fish just spawned in the lake it was raised in. Each lake would continue to produce big bass with the genetics from the giants.

In my previous post, I mentioned Culling. What I was referring to is the lakes would be better off (for trophy potential) if we took more bass out. Less predators more prey. Same principle applies to fish in aquariums. you put a fish with potential to get big in a small tank it will stunt. If you put that same fish in a big tank it will grow faster and bigger. Decreasing the population from max viability will hurt catch rates, but increase the overall size.

Seemed to me some people felt entitled just because they practice catch and release....when in reality catch and release isnt always the best for trophy fish. I really think people just focus on facts they like and want to be true over all else...and not the big picture of things. Im too lazy to link the article cuz I remember one being posted to the group...but here is a good facebook post (and comments section) regarding selective harvest.

Im done debating people on the matter because they make things up that I dont say or argue...but yea, theres a lot more to growing big fish than im pretty sure most of us in here dont understand. I really dont think its a simple as florida genes and food...because if that was the case youd figure the place where the florida genes are from would be pumping out 13+ fish like they are 8 pounders here. But thats just not the way genetics work....i dont think.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/bassconservation/permalink/1262527607269516

Steven Bardin is a fisheries biologist who is widely respected and works with many heavy hitters and big names...i believe he is helping EE build his lake. Here was his reply to that post



His post really makes you think...especially after all the complaints i read here about stocking, or the lack of stocking. So yea...............with all due respect to everyone....I dont think any of us know as much as we think we do about bass, MYSELF INCLUDED. Ill trust those smarter than me with more hands on and direct experience to handle things.....this year, and continued past tourney results affirm that faith in those smarter folks...but thats just me and my opinion 🤷‍♂️

So just a little update with all the concern about the survival rate for Sharelunkers taken from Ivie this season. We had a rep from our local TPWD come to our local bass club meeting last night to share some information about our local lakes.
Of the 12 bass taken to Athens from Ivie only 1 didn't survive. 8 have successfully spawned and they will be returned to Ivie this coming Thursday. They will be taking them out and releasing then in different areas throughout the lake, not just dumping them at the ramp. Of the 3 remaining 1 was permanently donated by the angler who caught it and the other 2 haven't spawned yet. Once they do they will be returned back to Ivie.
Not saying weather I support or oppose the program but thought I'd share this info with all the concern that too many in the program don't survive. I'll also attach a graph of the most recent genetic sampling taken from the local lakes to this area showing the percentages of Florida strain.

Cull the gar, white bass, and cormorants and see what happens

You should be ashamed of yourself! Get theses COLD HARD FACTS out of here! No room for these kinda facts to try and discredit all the anecdotal fishing stories and observations made by some anglers on here!!!

This has to be completely untrue and fake news....since it basically blasts .50 cal size holes through all the SAL haters posts and self rationalizations on why SAL is bad. I read on here they all die. I read on here they never spawn. I read on here SAL genetics arent good and cant grow em and its all about the pure florida strains. I read on here that the fish wont see their home lake again.

Ive also read on here that lake fork is dead. and now I gotta admit, im sooo confused....do I go with a handful of peoples anecdotal stories and observations that are basically not backed up with any facts, or do I take these cold hard facts as the truth? Really tough question.



Like ive said....thank you Sharelunker folks for what you do. You Sharelunker people are so good at your job that youve spoiled (some) texas anglers so much they think of 5+ pound fish as nothing and demand DD's as proof that the Sharelunker program works. Very good work by the sharelunker people and i wish New Mexico would take note!!! Thank you for posting this...always good to see the facts to weed through peoples [censored] 🤷‍♂️

I'm most impressed with my local lake, Twin Buttes. 0% percent pure florida strain but yet in the last 3 years we've had 4 or so over 13's and a bunch of over 10's. Seems the half breeds can get just as big.

the info is pretty surprising in regards to the pure FL. I really figured thered be more, but those numbers were real low. It does look like TP&W realizes they are needed though since they are stocking more in those 3 lakes. I think the SAL and TP&W might be figuring things out after all these years of data. I figure these results are about what theyd hope for and theyre gonna keep on doing what they been doing. Maybe we really will see the state record fall within a few years....because I think they are out there 🤔