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Studies of the effects of a 14” minimum size limit on largemouth bass being carried out at the Game Commissions’ Front Royal Hatchery, although in-conclusive at present, indicate that the size limit may improve bluegill fishing, according to Fish Division Chief Bob Martin. Data from the first two years of the research study showed a 20% jump in the number, of bluegill over 6” in length in ponds where the bass size limit was enforced while ponds with no minimum bass size, limit showed an equivalent drop in average bluegill size. Contrary to popular belief, protecting the small bass resulted in poorer bass reproduction than was found in the ponds which were wide open. “In the ponds where the bass limit was in effect” Martin said, “the bass,being larger, were able to eat the bluegills until they reached a pretty large size. With this constant trimming of their numbers, those few which reached adulthood had more room to grow, more food, and due to their larger size produced more eggs to insure a continuing supply of small bluegills for bass food.” “In the no-limit ponds” Martin explained, “the bass, although more numberous, were of smaller size and consequently able to eat only the smallest bluegill. Thus, when the blue gill reached medium size (about 4-1/2 inches) they were safe from the bass and the ponds soon *5 became saturated with fish * of this size which were consuming all available food and could not grow.” Although the limit ponds produced only about half of the total poundage of fish taken from the no-limit ponds the first year, the production was nearly equal the second. The ponds with the 14” limit trailed far behind the no-limit in the number and poundage of bass produced. However, fishermen caught and released many bass between ten and thirteen inches. In all ponds censused anglers were able to remove 50% of the available bass in the first 3 to 7 days. Over 70% percent of all available bass had been removed by the end of the first fishing season. The study will be continued through 1964 to gain more data before any definite conclusions are drawn.
Remember — you protect your own property when you keep the parks and streets in your town clean. Don’t Be A Litterbug!
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