TGW1 - IMO 1."I would think they might take hold because the smb would be a young smb and might adjust to the pond". Adjusting. The newly stocked smallies should initially compete enough to survive since they are 'going in' as larger individuals and the LMB are still smaller at 12"-14". However the second year when LMB reproduce and initial stocker LMB become an increasing larger presence at 15"-18" expect the smallies to struggle more because forage items will be in shorter supply. LMB will be controlling all the better forage areas. In 2nd year, existing LMB with new young bass are now well outnumbering the SMB. Each succeeding year the outnumbering becomes increased. Your SMB will truly be the rare bonus fish. The extra stress of behavioral competition from LMB toward SMB may also shorten their life spans.
2. Growth. "Would they lose wt, would they adjust, and if 10 fish, would 5 be female? "I think your transplanted SMB will do well to grow 1" per year due to predator competition. Remember this is a small space compared to where they came from. Plus the number of LMB per acre is very likely higher in the new habitat compared to the smallies home location. Fishes tend to be more crowded pond habitats compared to lake habitats. Anybody's guess will be good as to number of males and females for every 10 individuals. I would never expect SMB to complete a successful nesting experience in a pond with LMB present.
When I searched literature for my 5 PBoss articles about growing SMB in ponds, most information indicated the male and female SMB grew at similar rates.
http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/growing-smallmouth.html 3. Don't count on the SMB to affect the LMB recruitment because I think the LMB will have the smallies intimidated into marginal spaces where competition is low. In smaller habitats, I think the LMB are pretty nasty playground bullies to the SMB.
Other members with LMB and SMB in the same pond are very welcome to share their experiences of how both perform together. Remember to provide the size of your pond and about how many of each bass specie that you have.
If I still had aquariums I would set one up with a LMB and a SMB, both juveniles about 7" long. I would then document their daily behaviors for about a month.
