Largemouth bass prefer darker, deeper areas where they can hide, such as under fallen trees or amongst rocks, while smallmouth bass prefer shallower, clearer water. This interest is based on an increasing demand for large bass for remedial stocking in sportfish ponds, their use in commercial "trophy" lakes, and a demand for live bass as a food fish among ethnic Asians. Largemouth bass are usually pond spawned and do not require hormone or photoperiod manipulations.
For feed training, fingerlings (1.5-2.0 inch) are seined from the nursery pond, graded to uniform sizes, and stocked in flow through tanks (round or rectangular) at a high density, which is based on water flow. After an additional week most of these fish should adapt to the diet. White bass and striped bass prefer running water for breeding purposes, though they can be stocked in lakes or ponds for fishing. In some years, all nests fail and produce no fry.
You will find our staff to be professional, helpful and courteous. Snow at Auburn University conducted a series of studies on raising largemouth to sizes of 6-8 inches on feed as a method of increasing and intensifying hatchery production for sportfish stocking. Largemouth bass are usually pond spawned and do not require hormone or photoperiod manipulations. When large numbers of fry can be seen in the spawning pond, fry should be transferred from the spawning to the nursery pond and stocked at 40,000 - 80,000 fry per acre. Broods may be stocked when temperatures reach 65°F and spawning should begin soon after.Since spawning ponds are not fertilized a nursery pond should be prepared as soon as spawning begins using organic and inorganic fertilization so as to contain large numbers of food items (zooplankton) for the bass fry. Amazingly little research has been conducted on growth of bass to larger sizes, their nutritional requirements, or suitability as an aquaculture species. The fish will often become airborne in their effort to throw the hook, but many say that their cousin species, the smallmouth bass, is even more aggressive. Under overhead cover, such as overhanging banks, brush, or submerged structure, such as weedbeds, points, humps, ridges, and drop-offs, the largemouth bass uses its senses of hearing, sight, vibration, and smell to attack and seize its prey.
Dredge the bass fillets in the flour and shake off any excess. I see this occur most frequently in ponds where smallies are coexisting with largemouth bass.