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The Channel Catfish Fishery at Pony Express Lake, Missouri, 1963‐1984
Author(s) -
Eder Stephen,
McDannold William E.
Publication year - 1987
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(1987)7<502:tccfap>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - ictalurus , catfish , fishery , micropterus , stocking , fishing , biology , channel (broadcasting) , bass (fish) , environmental science , fish <actinopterygii> , electrical engineering , engineering
Pony Express Lake in Missouri was initially stocked in 1964 with fingerling largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, bluegills Lepomis macrochirus, redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus, and 5‐8‐in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. The lake was opened to fishing in January 1966. Since the opening, annual supplemental stockings of 8‐10‐in channel catfish have been made at rates of 13‐50 fish/acre. No negative effects on other species were documented that could be related to channel catfish stocking. The size distribution of channel catfish in gill‐net catches, all years combined, corresponded to the size composition of angler catches except for fish less than 12.0 in. Experimental gill nets (1/2‐2‐in meshes) were most effective for sampling the smaller fish in the population. Channel catfish averaged 15.4 in at age 4 after completing two growing seasons in the lake. Annual daytime fishing pressure averaged 396 h/acre from 1966 through 1984, 33% of which was directed at channel catfish. Mean total annual harvest of all species averaged 89 lb/acre while the channel catfish harvest averaged 28 lb/acre. Annual daytime catch rates for channel catfish anglers ranged from 0.08 to 0.20 fish/h and averaged 0.13 fish/h. There was a positive correlation between mean monthly surface temperature and channel catfish catch rate. Channel catfish anglers were most successful during July when water temperatures were at their peak (> 80°F). The channel catfish fishery was categorized as a put‐grow‐take fishery at Pony Express Lake. These fish averaged 15.6 in in the daytime catch over 19 years, and there was a 240% gain from the pounds of fish stocked to the pounds of fish harvested. First‐year exploitations of stocked channel catfish were estimated at 11 and 9% in 1973 and 1984, respectively. Total daytime exploitation of all stocked channel catfish was estimated at 64%. The benefit:cost ratio of the channel catfish fishery from daytime results was estimated at 40:1. Nighttime creel surveys were conducted from Memorial Day weekend (late May) through Labor Day weekend (early September), 1977‐1979. Night angling made up 9‐13% of total fishing hours, and channel catfish angling accounted for 74% of nighttime hours. Nighttime harvests of channel catfish made up 9‐29% of the total annual channel catfish harvest by number over the 3 years. Compared to daytime anglers, nighttime channel catfish anglers had significantly lower catch rates, caught smaller fish, and released a greater percentage of their catch.