Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations I want Smallmouth bass.

Hello.

This is the first time I hear about this.



Esshup, jim100 and Mr Cody also says in a post that bass tend to avoid traps.

Last year the only producer of Smallmouth bass wanted to sell me bass of about 3 inches, I found them to small to put in the pond with the Yellow-perch.

So I asked him for 6 to 7 inches bass, he told me he didn't have any.

So I told him to put traps in is pond to catch some, he told me that it doesn't work, I told him I will think about it.

I told to myself it's a real Joke ha ha ha.

So that's why I can't have my Smallmouth bass.

I will have to dig a small pond.

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Bill Cody actually says that largemouth bass usually avoid traps, primarily wire mesh minnow traps. I never said one cannot ever catch a LMB in a trap. I think that from all my many fish trapping experiences I have caught only one fingerling LMB in a trap. This fish probably accidently entered the trap for some reason. I think LMB are naturally trap shy. An experienced trap net or fyke net user such as a DNR fishery biologist could have different experiences catching LMB in traps. Snipe has close contact with State fishery guys and he might provide more advice on this bass trapping topic.

NOW smallmouth bass are a very different experience. For some reason I have caught quite a few SMB in wire mesh traps. When SMB are common in a pond I have caught as many as 13 fingerling SMB in a one trap set. Most of the SMB that I have trapped were fingerling sizes using 1/8" and 1/4 mesh traps. However I did catch a 14" SMB once in a large 1/2" wire mesh trap.

Azteca - I think the 3" smb would survive okay at 70%-90% in a pond with only yellow perch of all sizes and minnows. YP are not aggressive predators and if the pond has small 2-3cm minnows, 3"-4" SMB will survive okay, good ,well. Another option would be to put the 3" smb of August or September in one of your small minnow ponds and keep the snow off the ice for good winter oxygenation. Another option would be to buy some 3" SMB in early fall pellet train them in a tank or your small minnow pond then in winter bring them into the house tank or aquarium for the winter. SMB fingerlings easily train to eat pellets. Use the same method you use to pellet train perch. You will be pleased how well SMB pellet train using your method. Start the training with chopped worms, fish, tuna or crayfish tails. At first soften the pellet foods mixed with the chopped meat.

Hello.

You reassure me for the Smallmouth bass.

Thank you.
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Smallmouth can be caught in traps but definitely not nearly as many as perch and bluegill. With one cylinder 30" (76cm) long, 10"-12" dia. 1/4" mesh trap this fall I was catching 8 to 26 3"-6" perch in each trap. Many more than if it were for SMB. Also remember the SMB would not be as abundant as the perch that were present. If I remember this August, I will try to trap some 2"-3" SMB from a couple ponds that have mainly SMB.

Hello.

There is only one left producer, and this is probably the last chance this summer to be able to buy some.

The Government no longer gives permits for the bass producer.
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Hello.

The funny thing is that all the rivers all around Montréal there are plenty of Smallmouth and Largemouth bass.

There are even Largemouth bass at Nominingue pond, 160 km North of Montréal.

Largemouth bass seems to adapt very well to cold water.
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