A few months ago I read an article that indicated mixing regular largemouth bass with Florida largemouth might be one of the causes of LMBV that killed a lot of fish a few years ago. Does anyone have any up to date info on the subject?
I would like to know the latest thinking on this matter.

Thanks to anyone with a reply.

Sacalait

It's news to me and I keep up on this stuff as an aquaculturist. Unless one of the two was infected and that started it to spread, but if someone is insisting that the act of crossing the two is the cause I have never heard that.

Thanks for the input. There was an article in Bassmaster(I think) and in our local paper about this being a possible cause of LMBV due to a weakening of the immune system.

Let me know if you turn up anything more.

Thanks

That is interesting now that you describe the thinking, but I have still not heard it. However I am skeptical considering we have it up here in north country in our natural lakes and I have doubts that any of those bass have an Florida bass genes.

Are you aware that the Florida bass is now considered a seperate species from the northern bass and they are not just considered subspecies?

APPROX.20 YEARS AGO I CONTACTED THE CALIF.DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME FOR INFO WHERE THEY HAD PLANTED FLORIDA BASS,ELLIS LAKE IN MARYSVILLE CALIF.AND CLEARLAKE IN LAKE COUNTY CALIF.WERE TWO OF THE LAKES THEY LISTED.I STILL FISH CLEARLAKE AND I CATCH ALOT OF LARGE BIG MOUTH BASS THERE,THEY USE ELLIS LAKE TO HOLD SPAWNERS,PLUS THEY ALLOW FISHING THERE ALSO,SOFAR THESE FISH ARE DOING WELL MIXED WITH THE REGULAR LARGEMOUTH BASS THAT WERE THERE FIRST.THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE FISH AND GAME PEOPLE I'VE SPOKEN WITH.I HOPE THIS HELPS.

So far, there is no conclusive evidence of the origin of largemouth bass virus disease. It is a virus, attacking mostly large bass. Since most large bass have Florida genetics, it is easy to assume genetics play a role. However, the disease has been found in native strains of bass as far north as Michigan.
More news as it comes.

Is there an echo in here? :p

A couple of years ago, I went to an American Fisheries Society meeting in Florida. A speaker said that they found LMB virus in every lake they tested and assumed that it was in every lake in Florida. Interestingly, they have never found symptoms in any fish.