What do the largest white bass specimens largely forget in favor of the caloric density of fish flesh?

Answer

Crustaceans and insects

As white bass mature and reach their maximum size, their energy demands necessitate consuming the most calorically dense food available in their environment, which is other fish. This specialization results in a significant downsizing of their secondary food preferences. While younger adults might still consume secondary items like insects or crustaceans that are encountered during their feeding pursuits, the largest, most dominant specimens tend to completely deprioritize these less energy-rich food sources. They effectively reserve their feeding efforts exclusively for actively pursuing and consuming baitfish, rendering crustaceans and insects tertiary or irrelevant to their overall nutritional intake.

What do the largest white bass specimens largely forget in favor of the caloric density of fish flesh?
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