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size verse's age

Went to the lake this afternoon [1st time in 3 weeks ]and caught a lot of small bass . they ranged in size from as small as four inches to keeper size [15 in. ] and every where in between .Is there a rule of thumb about the size and age of the bass . I figure that a 4 inch bass has to be hatched last year and a 8 - 10 incher 2 years ago 12 inches 3 years ago and a 15 inch fish maybe 4 years ago.does this sound about average???I'm sure that down south the growing season is longer so the fish will be a little bit bigger per year I am located in northeastern Kentucky thanks Ken Blevins
Ken
May 9
2005
You're probably pretty close on your guesstimates. But there are many factors involved in a fish's growth. Some, but certainly not all are genetics, available forage, type of forage, water fertility, water temperature, length of growing season, competition from other predator fish are some that come to mind immediately.

I'm certain that there are other factors that others more learned than I are aware of.

Steve
May 9
A few years after Lake Oconee was filled I attended a presentation by a state fisheries biologist explaining why there was a slot limit there. He showed a picture of five bass ranging from 4 inches to 13 inches long, and said they were all the same year class, or hatched the same year. There is some evidence that bass hatched late in the season - bass spawn from Feb to June here usually - are too small to eat the young of shad and other fish, so they do not grow much their first year. Bass that are stunted the first year never overcome that - they stay small and never grow much. And some bass may just be the runt of the spawn, and never grow much.

Fish can vary a lot in size and be the same age - scale rings are the best way to age them, I think. That or some bones also have rings, I think

Ronnie
May 9
   

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