Hey WBS

It sounds like you got the pond almost ready to go. Largemouth bass tend to grow bigger in less time compared to the smallmouth. Don't get me wrong, you will be able to grow some dandy smallies in their, it will just take longer. I also heard that smallmouth are harder to keep alive. I am not sure about that one though.

Smallmouth fight about 10 times harder than largemouth. They really give it their all. Smallies jump all the time, and even a small one will feel like a big largemouth. The biggest smallmouth I ever caught was just over 22 inches long, and that thing put up a fight that was equal to my 44 inch muskie, and that is no joke.

One question, is the bottom rocks or just mudd?

If it is rocks, I would say that you try to add crawfish, smallies LOVE them. If it is mudd bottom, don't add them, they need rocks.

I hope that helped and I hope to hear that your pond does well.

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet
"Hunting is not a sport, it is a passion, it is a WAY OF LIFE"

Smallies are harder to keep alive, because they generally prefer more specific conditions than a large mouth, they like cool clean water, where as a large mouth can adapt better to a much wider range of water temps and water quality.
I will have to admit that smallies do fight allot harder though.


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Be careful if you are going to put minnows into the pond for food. Sometimes the minnows can be little carp, that is the last thing you want in your pond. The only carp you should have in a pond is grass carp, they will keep the nasty vegetation down to a minimum.

Thanks everybody for the great advice and I will definately take it all into consideration. I'll let you all know how it turns out!!

Make sure you put plenty of rock in the pond. Smallmouth love rocks and cold deep water