Nine 0.04-hectare ponds of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station were used to evaluate growth differences among northern largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides salmoides (Lacepede), Florida largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides floridanus (Lesueur), and their hybrid. Salmoides grew faster than floridanus or the hybrid during the first summer of life. Since the environments were similar the differences in growth rates were attributed to genetic factors. The first year growth, therefore, is not the factor which contributes to the larger adult size of the Florida largemouth bass. Angling records from four other ponds indicated that floridanus was significantly more difficult to catch than salmoides. The difference is probably great enough to significantly affect the catch in heavily fished bodies of water.