A study was conducted to determine if any growth rate differences occurred between two subspecies oflargemouth bass during the first 6 months ofgrowth. Two ponds near Lenoir City, Tennessee, were partitioned into equal halves by a nylon fish barrier. Northern strain fingerlings (Micropterus salmoides salmoides) were stocked in one side of each pond and Florida bass (M. s.jloridanus) in the other sides. Micropterus salmoides salmoides showed a significantly faster rate of growth (1.0% level) than M. s. jloridanus. Mean coefficients of condition (K) and specific growth rates (G) were consistently higher for M. s. salmoides during the study period. Since the subspecies were grown in the same water under apparently similar environmental conditions but separated by a barrier, growth differences observed from the fingerling state (1 month old) to 5 months of age were thought to be genetic in nature.
