Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations SMB YOY

Looks like a couple of the older SMB have spawned in the pond recently. Most of the SMB are only about 7-8" but at least a few are a year class older and bigger than 12"

Here is a the standard size SMB I see cruising -



I've read here and elsewhere that the SMB YOY are BLACK - and when I first saw this pod - I thought they were tadpoles - but I think its pretty clear that its a pod of about 50 SMB yoy.

We have lots of FHM of the same size - but they are very light colored and the color of the bottom. These young fish are almost black.



closer:


Next year I hope to have a real spawn - but I'm very happy to see this. I saw the beds in a couple spots - but didn't ever really see any tending by the older SMB.

The BG are just getting ready to spawn - some look ready to burst.

Very excited to see - had to share!

FH

If you're a proud father, I have to say a big congratulations. A smallie spawn makes you feel real nice!

12" smallies sound a tad on the small side to spawn, but who knows.

I can't make out much in the second picture. Where should I be looking for the YOY smallies?

edit: My fault F-H. I misunderstood that the second pic might be of some of the black swim-up smallies.

Here's a couple of the older ones - I think there are only 3 near this big.

I'm not sure if this is the same fish - but I didn't think so - they were caught at different times.

Congrats F-H! I'm still an impatient pacing cigar puffing expectant father to be...just waiting for confirmation myself. I haven't seen anything like your evidence, however, my water doesn't benefit from clarity like yours. Great work and awesome pics!

Great picture of the SMB fry in the "closer" picture! They sure stand out, don't they? I've said this before, but these little smallies are the origin of the term "black bass."

Great news F-H, looks like your hard work paid off.

We have had two spawns by our SMB. I only have a single pair of large adults and of course one of each sex. Last year the spawn was interrupted by poor weather and we have not seen any survivors from that one. This year, the spawn was much better and we had a huge pod of black babies! They are 3/4" long already and seem to have scattered and are doing better. I have a couple of them in an aquarium to observe them. Very cool! I'm struggling with the feed though. I don't want them to die.

A couple of nights back, we noticed tons of something under our bug light (BoJo copy). It turns out they are Daphnia I think. We scooped up a few and brought them inside to examine. Little tiny brownish red dots that scoot all about. I left them in a glass overnight, and I believe by morning they were reproducing in the glass!!! I dumped them in the aquarium and the SMB fry went nuts and devoured all they could! They especially went for the smaller Daphnia newly born.

This is such an amazing hobby, this pond!

Congratulations F-H by the way on your spawn of SMB!

Nice report Rattletrap2.

I have never raised any SMB in an aquarium, but you might want to see if you can get some krill (sp?) or freeze dried shrimp from a fish store.

That might help the SMB YOY when they get a tad bigger.

Smallies as small as 7"-8" can spawn. All they need to be is mature fish with correct foods for egg production. Rattletrap - keep collecting bugs under the light and feeding collections to bass fry until they get larger to start eating crushed krill or f.d. shrimp.

Some pet stores sell live brine shrimp... Most pet stores sell frozen brine shrimp, glass worms and blood worms. The live brine shrimp would be best and that is what I use to raise small >2" fish like bass. If you cannot find the live brine shrimp, if the bass are hungry enough, they'll smack the frozen brine shrimp and worms. Just pop a frozen cube of them out, thaw them out and mix them with some water. Then pour a batch of them into the tank. If you have just a couple bass, use about 1/4 of a cube per feeding.

My 8" smallies are very very active. After 2 years of not seeing them - a novice fisherman could walk the edge and catch out 1/2 of them in an hour. Thankfully the pond is isolated. I only stocked 40 Makes me wonder if that was enough. we'll see as things progress. I have to keep close tabs because if I feel like the BG and/or YP get too far ahead - I'll plant LMB.

So I watch it close.

FH

If BG become common focus on removing them - seine, traps, angling. Give the SMB some help.

I will Bill -

My goal is to keep it a SMB pond - with some bonus put and take trout. The SMB and trout did a really good job on the Bluegill Fry last year. I still have many many FHM of all ages - but few bluegill fry seem to have made it from last summer (unless they hang out in deep water) I don't see hardly any.