Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Biological synopsis of Smallmouth bass.

Hello.

If you are interested.

https://waves-vagues.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/337846.pdf
A+

It parallels the thought process behind different strains of the same species being relocated to another region. For example, Florida bass won't survive in Indiana. Some intergrade cross might, but then the native genetic strains become compromised. The state of Florida won't allow northern strain largemouth to be stocked south of the Suwanee River. We don't want Coppernose bluegill stocked in Kansas. They die when cold. Same with smallmouth bass. There is certainly a financial incentive that runs parallel to the conservation/stewardship thoughts. Why stock a northern strain of Smallmouth bass, native to Canada and Great Lakes States into water in Missouri? You don't. Job One is understanding there are different strains of the same species of fish and then figuring out which one is best suited (or not) to the region you choose to supply as a responsible hatchery owner.

Hope this works..

https://imgur.com/a/Ut0iF3Q

"There is quite a bit of history/writing on different populations of SMB. Not going to get into the question of if they are different strains/sub species/ possible future species etc! IMO adaptive populations is good enough. Best advice - don’t stock outside of the populations adaptive area."

That's exactly where I went with this, ewest. There are indeed other strains recognized and accepted and maybe it was for me more than anything else, but when I found our Black bass guru's in Meade, KS were looking for the same thing I was-them on a professional level, testing/researching for 14 years, me on the dummy level for 3 years, when I finally got to discuss with the hatchery techs what I had found and what I wanted, they confirmed what I was looking for was also what they have determined to be superior in a very wide area. Then they took it a step further and explained why, what the differences are and what that does for me.
This goes way back to the 50's in Kansas, the original stocking of what was considered "SMB generically". The 5 impoundments stocked have had a varying degree of success. In 1 res, eventually they mostly disappeared after about 20 years. The other 4 always had reproduction but relatively low numbers, probably partly due to being better LMB habitat than anything, but most of these 4 lakes have very good rocky type habitat of about 30% not including the Dam structures.
One of the reservoirs received a small stocking of 8-12" fish from Dale Hollow in a State trade in 1981. in 1989 the state record SMB of 3lbs 6ozs was blown away by a 6lb 11oz fish that was a Dale Hollow descendant.
On my fav res in NW KS, Dale Hollows were stocked 9 years ago-Just 70, 8-14" fish...in a 7000 ac impoundment.
Our samples are electrofishing at night in september, specifically for SMB. By-catch happens in WAE trap nets in spring and fall but the shocking efforts for many, many years averaged 11 per unit effort. Currently, the last 4 years have averaged 74 per UE with 2020 being the highest ever at 141 per UE.
My point here is the DNA has already shown these are different fish. The problem is some fish have been introduced where a similar strain already existed and now "most" DNA testing shows a more even spectrum(very diverse) from that of what is considered a mostly pure, recognizable DNA pattern
Most impoundment SMB in KS, MO, OK, AR have diversity in DNA, but there are still some areas withing these larger areas that still have true, river SMB such as the Ouachita strain (2lbs max average) or the most common Arkansas river strain (Neosho) which lives in both areas. Most fish suppliers have a strain very similar to this and most can't tell you what they have. Most believe a SMB is a SMB and that is just not the case.
I will find the hard copy of the Document I based my final decisions on (alongside advice from our hatchery biologists) and send that to you, ewest. It was finished in 2018 and I have it in my files at shop.
If I can get imgr to let me add a pic, I'll post a perfect example of this strain, one female I just added to spawning tank about 5pm tonight.