The Largemouth Bass (LMB) is probably the most discussed and cussed pond fish in the USA. The LMB has many tremendous qualities, but also has some characteristics that can make it a difficult pond fish, e.g. the tendency to overpopulate, stunt and become lure shy under fishing pressure. On Meadowlark ranch, Methuselah is stocked with native (northern) genetics, Nova with pure Florida strain genetics, and Walden with the F1 cross. (Note: native LMB from Methusla were added to Nova during 2003 in an effort to improve the fishing). The Florida bass in Nova pond are extremely hard to catch on artificial lures. Growth rates have been excellent, but catchability has not. The Florida bass can be seen regularly at the artificial feeding stations picking off unsuspecting CNBG. Frustrations with this "learned" behavior, the lack of fish being caught, the desire to eliminate/reduce artificial feeding in favor of more natural foods, and the discovery of Tilapia have all combined to force the development of a new system of pond management. That new system was put in place on Walden pond as an experiment starting in the fall of 2004 (link to LMB experiment.doc).

Walden is stocked with the F1 cross between Florida and native LMB. There is no artificial feeding whatsoever. When the experiment started I hypothesized that the use of Tilapia could more than compensate for the lack of artificial feeding. All indications are that indeed that has happened. The F1's are a super aggressive fast growing fish. The key to the experiment's success thus far has been the Tilapia. This system has been so successful that it will now be used on all new ponds built on Meadowlark ranch.

Update: 01/01/07 Pictured below is a likely pure strain Florida LMB taken from Nova pond. The fish was 9.5 pounds and just under 25 inches in length  and about 8.5 inches in width. 

Addendum 04/15/07 :  A question has been submitted regarding the appearance of this LMB. Good question! The picture you see below and the measurements that are provided were all taken after this fish was found dead in Nova pond. How long it had been dead is unknown because it was found several days after it was caught and released alive (without any documentation). The stomach of the fish was completely empty when weighed and measured. How much it weighed when alive is unknown, but IF it had the same RW as the 7 pound fish shown later, it would have exceeded 11 pounds. I prefer to call it a 10 pound class LMB....and although it isn't pretty, its still a Meadowlark Ranch raised fish. 

Update 04/12/07

Pictured below is a likely F1 cross between original Florida pure strain stocking and the native LMB on Meadowlark Ranch. This fish is particularly noteworthy, not because of its size, but because of its relative weight(RW). The fish was 21.5 inches and 7 pounds on the Boga scale which corresponds to a RW in excess of 1.2. Indications including loose stomach skin, point to this fish being a post-spawn LMB. Clearly, something is working right in this pond.  Factors which may have lead to this relative weight may include:

1) increased forage availability due to ongoing reductions/elimination of HSB from the pond

2) Tilapia, Tilapia, Tilapia

3) Rainbow trout, which were stocked for the first time the preceding winter.

Update 04/25/07 6.5 pounds

Update 05/26/07 6 pounds

Update June 24, 2007:

This space is normally reserved for fish over 6 pounds, however the 5.5 pound LMB below provided such an outstanding fight, it deserved an honorable mention.

Update March 05 '08: The first Lunker of this season is shown below. The LMB have not spawned yet and in fact the females have not moved onto nests. This fish, heavy with eggs, was caught off a point in 6 feet of water on an in-line spinner.