Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Types of fish to choose SMB structure

Will smb utilize tire reefs as well as boulders. Is there any reason I do not want to use tires in my pond?

I'm not a SMB guy but I'd be amazed if they didn't, CC will spawn in those tires. Good or bad...you decide.

Not going to have any cc in my pond. Just new smallmouth needed rocks and boulders but old tires are more readily accessible for me and they are free. Just did not know if there were any draw backs or bad side effects from chemicals or anything. Or if the smb would even use them.

I have tried tires in several waters and they have never worked for spawning with any species. They are also hard to keep down in shallow water. They can be used for reefs like other structure.

I've had CC spawn in tires, but it's not the best option. I am sure SMB will utilize tire structure. Hard to beat a big giant boulder pile for SMB structure though... Sure do look a lot better, but if they're 10 feet deep, it doesn't much matter.

How big is the pond? SMB may use the tires, but I highly doubt they would use them as well as the boulders and rocks and busted concrete.

I once removed an aeration diffuser mounted on a tire just before winter ice formation. I won't provide all the details but the tire had 6 SMB in it all 8" long. So at times they do utilize tires. I am not sure if tires provide as much habitat for forage foods such as crayfish and large invertebrates as rock piles. To get tires to sink cut holes in them for entraped air to escape.

So used tires don't have an effect on the pond at all? I have always wondered about this. Is there something you have to do to get them ready before hand?

Weather exposure and a few rains usually washes off any road grime from tires. I am not aware of any harmful leachate from auto tires. The pond no doubt gets more toxins from air pollution being stripped from the atmosphere and chemical runoff from the watershed during rain events than what leachate from tires would contribute to the pond.