Per Texas A&M fisheries in the southern U.S. largemouth can spawn when 1 year old if they have reached at least 10 inches in length. I do know it happens here in Alabama.

I let Family bream fish the first year at that size here. But we only keep the ones that are hooked bad and C&R the others. The thing to remember is that these are your F1 (1st generation stock) and are the backbone to the genetic future of the stock. I do not over harvest my original stocking fish here by allowing people to catch them at will for the first few years.

You will kill a few with C&R. Just teach them how to properly handle a C&R fish and your mortality rate will be a lot less for both the bream and LMB. I got a 4 year old girl that has to release the fish for me. lol