A recent headline came across my desk that got me thinking. “Lake Jordan Stocked with More Than a Quarter Million Florida Bass, With More on the Way.”

When will it end?

Yes, Florida bass are all the rage. It seems anywhere fisheries managers remotely suspect Florida bass might succeed, they’re being stocked. Once a trick used by California and Texas, Floridas are now the talk of Tennessee, the chatter of the Chick, and the Crown Jewel of Jordan. Or so we hope.

Now call me a pessimist, a conspiracy-theory nut or just too darn liberal, but I’m not sold on the idea. My limited biological training, combined with an overall critical view of past government actions, prevents me from celebrating “exotics” being dumped into lakes all across the country. However, that appears to be what’s happening.

To further expand my knowledge, I called the two most knowledgeable men I knew when it comes to bass biology: Dr. Hal Schramm and Gene Gilliland.

Schramm is likely one of the most recognized bass specialists in the country, with a history of work in the field dating back to the late 1970s. He currently works with the U.S. Geological Survey and serves as professor of fisheries for Mississippi State University, and his résumé covers nearly all facets of bass management. Gilliland is the conservation director for B.A.S.S. and after a career in fish management, continues to be on the front line of biological issues effecting bass and bass fishing all across the world.

Through detailed conversations, both men revealed their support for Florida stocking, but with limited apprehension. Gilliland mentioned that Floridas can, and do, grow bigger than other largemouth, but conditions must strictly favor this growth, including abundant forage and preferred habitat and temperature. Oftentimes, such standards aren’t available.

In addition, both members of our panel agreed: Florida bass genetics get quickly diluted once stocked with native bass, and such dilution creates bass that no longer have the preferred Florida characteristics. The solution: stock more Florida bass – again, and again. But, as any fisheries manager will tell you, stocking ain’t cheap. In fact, it’s one of the most expensive of all duties carried out by game and fish agencies. And who do you think pays for that?

To be fair, let’s look at the incredible benefits of stocking Floridas. First and foremost, as Schramm pointed out in our interview: “Giant fish have become the whole fabric of the bass fishing industry." Personally, I couldn’t be more happy about such a fact. It appears the days of managing for numbers are finally being put behind us, as fisheries managers are realizing what many of us knew all along: When it comes to bass, managing for trophies is far superior, in the long run, than managing for “eaters.”

The public will shell out big bucks to fish for big bass. Falcon Lake, the once little-known destination in the middle of nowhere, is a prime example. Who in their right mind, besides lunker-hunters, would pay thousands of dollars to vacation at Falcon Lake?

Schramm went on to illustrate how such a mentality has led to incredible advancements in many facets of the fishing industry. State-of-the art electronics looking out, down and sideways can be attributed, mainly, to the world of bass. The same goes for the surge in popularity of shallow-water anchors, the advancements in hook designs, expansion of tungsten weights, bigger, more powerful trolling motors; the list is endless. Nearly all owe their progression to big bass in one way or another.

Again exercising caution, I consider the model of “fitness” – the basic talking point of anyone critical to stocking. Roughly, fitness is defined as the ability of a fish stock to grow and reproduce effectively. In most cases, introduced species reduce the overall fitness of natives. In fact, short research on the subject shows that many fisheries groups rate introduction of non-native species of any kind, as well as hybridization of those species, as the greatest of all threats to native fisheries. This includes Florida bass, now recognized as a separate species from other largemouth or smallmouth.

In addition, a brief look into the history of stocking in this country leads to as many complete disasters as success stories. Common carp are the biggest black eye, but not the only one. Tilapia stocking is regarded by many as a catastrophe, as well as large catfish species stocked throughout the Southeast. White perch have reduced crappie numbers, and we’re seeing evidence that even spotted bass stocked in certain areas can displace largemouth and smallmouth. In fact, it’s estimated that over 400 endangered or threatened species are in competition with invasives or those introduced.

Also, looking deeper into Florida bass themselves, scientific evidence has concluded Floridas are much more difficult to catch than other bass, as a whole. Is that what fisheries managers want – a lake full of giant bass that don’t bite? How many licenses will that sell?

Further discussion with our experts confirmed one thing: Thus far, there have been no scientifically proven, negative biological impacts recorded from fisheries stocked with Floridas. It appears the scientific community is agreeing, as a whole, that the doom-and-gloom naysayers were wrong.

But I’m not sold on the idea. Studies now show that a minimum of 14 different species of black bass live in North America. Each has uniquely evolved to best fit its environment. Introducing others, well before we truly understand this evolution and unique balance, can severely harm native fish stocks in ways we have yet to realize.

And remember, stocking is permanent, despite what others may tell you. Ask anyone who’s seen “sterile” grass carp reproduce, or found fish in a pond that started in an aquarium. Flooding, among other things, has a way of taking fish far beyond their intended range.

If you’re like me, you fantasize about a time before the impact of man, and the far-reaching hand of development, when fish stocks were native and endless. Why, then, do we continue to strive for an era moving in the opposite direction? And, while I’m sure the tackle store owners selling umbrella rigs around Chickamauga will vehemently disagree, I say Florida bass can wait. At least until we know all the facts.

(Joe Balog is the often outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)