Smallie nests that are close together may be effective if there is some sort of visual barrier between the nest so adjacent males cannot see each other or interact. I don't know this for sure but it is worth a try. The unused nests that are close together will still be used by RES or any other nest building fish after the smallies are done spawning. Not all nests are used each year. Thus unused nests may be used in another year by a different male.
As I noted in Part 3 (Smallmouth Bass From Eggs to Fry, Jul-Aug 2009 Pond Boss Mag.), not all male smallies will build nests each year. Often only about 25% of the males will make nests each year. This is probably why commercial production of smallies is limited and fingerlings are more expensive compared to LMB. IMO a one acre smallie pond only needs one successful smallie spawn each year to have adequate numbers of young bass. There are a few smallie 1/3 acre ponds near me that can withstand a removal of at least 20 fingerlings or juveniles each year and still have adequate recruitment and balance. Dr. Dave Willis at SD State Univ. also sees similar situations where smallies often overpopulate and the pond needs to have a regular thinning of numbers to keep populations growing well.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 11/01/09 07:42 PM.
