Pure Florida Strain or F1-what would you do??

[HERZOG]

Well....our tank is full and the baitfish are fully established. Time to throw some baby toads in there. If you had the choice to stock with pure FL strain largemouth or F1, which would you go with and why?

[BrandonA]

Why not both? If I had to chose I would go F1.

[austinjohn]

I fished on a private lake up in Michigan by the people that own Better Homes and Garden. I was told it was stocked with pure Florida strain, that was the most awesome little lake I have ever fished IN MY LIFE!!!!! I was pulling out 6-9s on the reg, even caught a couple that may have been double digits.

I've heard some people stopped using the F1 because of outbreeding depression;

F1 outbreeding depression? - Pond Boss Forum

[austinjohn]

People in the southeast have started female only private lakes, trying to grow some super monsters.

[basstrack]

With us having a new F1 track in town how could you choose another?

[Waylon Papst]

Watched Hank Parker the other morning and they were fishing a tank that was stocked with nothing but Female Florida Strains. It was toads on the reg.

[Matt Warren]

I would guess either strain-just be prepared to feed them. I did the same thing you guys are doing a few years ago. I built a pond which is about 2-3 acres when full. let red ear sunfish, coppernose bluegill, fathead minnows and golden shiner proliferate for 1 year, then put 50 baby FL strain lmb in. I built it around 2002 and had a few stable years, then we had a couple of floods and a couple of droughts. We were catching a few solid fish for a while. The biggest lmb to date was about 6lbs. I think they got washed out there. We always kept the fish under 14 inches and either ate them or gave them to neighbors. Now, all I have in there is healthy 10-14 inch bass, a few pathetic looking 15-20 inch lmb, and quite a few very large bluegill. I have recently installed a fish feeder. I am going to put tilapia in there this year because the bottom line is, the fish are hungry-not enough food in there. So in summary, I followed the management rules and due to enviromental factors I suppose, I'm starting over 10 yrs later. I guess what I'm saying is that, if your pond floods, the bass might leave, and that the forage basis you have now, will likely be dined upon heavily and need to be replenished.

Here's my tank

full


current level

[BrandonA]

Nice looking tank Matt. I have heard you got to restock with bait fish every few years. Has anyone tried stocking shad? Also don'y forget you can stock bullfrogs as well and they are very high in protein.

[Matt Warren]

Nice looking tank Matt. I have heard you got to restock with bait fish every few years. Has anyone tried stocking shad? Also don'y forget you can stock bullfrogs as well and they are very high in protein.

thanks amigo. I just called a fish farm in northwest TX that I use and sell tilapia for $7.50/lb and they sell shad-1000lbs for $250. I think I'm going with tilapia. I'm afraid the shad would all get eaten immediately and I'd back where I started

[BrandonA]

If you had some shallow protection and stock enough they should a large majority should survive. I would stock when the lake is full and late winter right before they spawn.