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 Blevins" wrote in message
...
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

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 @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

Ken Blevins wrote:

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


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