Premium
Evaluation of Supplemental Stocking of Largemouth Bass as a Management Tool in Small Impoundments
Author(s) -
Boxrucker Jeff
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
north american journal of fisheries management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1548-8675
pISSN - 0275-5947
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8659(1986)6<391:eossol>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - stocking , electrofishing , micropterus , bass (fish) , fishery , hectare , fish <actinopterygii> , acre , biology , ecology , agronomy , agriculture
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fingerlings (35‐64 mm total length) were supplementally stocked into two small Oklahoma impoundments, Liberty Lake and Wiley Post Lake, in July 1980 at a density of 450/hectare to enhance year‐class strength. Stocked fish constituted 76 and 72% of the 1980 year class in Liberty and Wiley Post lakes, respectively, for two growing seasons following stocking. Natural mortality at age 1 + appeared to drastically reduce the numbers of stocked fish. The stocked largemouth bass reached quality length (300 mm) toward the end of the third growing season and made up 3 and 17% of the quality‐length fish in the 1983 electrofishing samples from Liberty and Wiley Post lakes, respectively. Creel data indicated that angler catches and harvest rates were unaffected by the stocking program.