Largemouth bass are one of the most sought-after sportfish for stocking in private waters in the United States. Many different strains of largemouth have been developed to promote trophy genetics and aggressive behavior. The two parent strains are Northern bass, which are native to most of the United States, and Florida bass, which are native to a small region of South Florida and Georgia. The key differences are size and aggression. Northern strain largemouth bass tend to be smaller, with the potential to reach just over double digits. Florida strain largemouth bass get much larger with some fish exceeding 20lbs. However, Florida largemouth bass tend to have much lower catch rates and are less aggressive, especially when artificial lures are used. Hybrids of both strains have been noted to outgrow Northerns and express more aggression than pure Floridas, however, they do not get as large. Selecting the appropriate genetics for your goals can be complicated and consulting with a fisheries professional is often recommended. Regardless of the strain chosen, all largemouth bass spawn once water temperatures exceed 60 degrees. Juvenile largemouth bass feed primarily on zooplankton and aquatic insects until they are large enough to begin consuming other fish. Largemouth bass consume large quantities of food and grow quickly. The other key component to producing quality largemouth bass aside from abundant forage and genetics is adequate harvest. Having too many bass present in a pond will suppress the food chain and reduce bass growth rates.