NEDOC -- That's always a tough one. In general, I'd say maybe between 3 feet and 6 feet. Generally, we'd put them deeper the clearer the water. I can't remember going shallower than about 3 feet, but of course, we didn't put smallies into muddy ponds. I have this general thought in the back of my mind that a lot of the nest-building centrarchids (bass, crappies, bluegills) often nest at about 1 to 1.5 times the water transparency. In that recent bluegill nesting study that we did, the average depth of the bluegill colonies was right at 3 feet. However, in extremely clear water, I have seen reports of smallmouth and spotted (Kentucky) bass spawning down to perhaps 20 feet.
Eric -- your plan might actually be very good for the young smallmouth bass. Those small fingerlings like to stay in rocky habitat once the male no longer is guarding the school of fry.
