If spotted bass are staying small they would act as small sized predator and be food for larger predators. Smaller sized predators are sometimes very useful in pond management. Goals, Goals. I question if they are more prolific compared to LMB? I will check into info about their fecundity.
Here are average egg numbers of Spotted bass (SPB) compared to LMB of similar sized females. Data from Carlander Vol2. Note the numbers of eggs per female from various water bodies varied quite a bit and ranged from 2x to 3x of the low number. Example LMB at 11.6” to 11.8” egg ranges were 5,549 to 22,857 and 17.1”– 18.1” = 42,640-81,582 eggs / female.
12-13" SPB= 8,900 LMB= 15,500
14” SPB= 11,680 LMB= 17,000
16” SPB= 19,100 LMB= 21,700
17” SPB= 25,500 LMB= 59,100
Carlander mentioned the SPB do not tolerate heat as well as the LMB and is considered an intermediate species between SMB & LMB.
If I wanted a aggressive bass that did not get as big as LMB for control of smaller sunfishes, I would seriously consider trying spotted bass as a predator of numerous smaller sunfish. Use of them would depend on ones goals.
This from an internet link: "On the basis of the number of fish stocked, northern largemouth bass produced the largest standing crops and spotted bass the smallest (Table 1).
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/31/18 01:50 PM.
