Premium
Smallmouth Bass in the Shoals Reach of the Tennessee River: Population Characteristics and Sport Fishery
Author(s) -
Weathers Kenneth C.,
Bain Mark B.
Publication year - 1992
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 - 10.1577/1548-8675(1992)012<0528:sbitsr>2.3.co;2
Subject(s) - fishery , bass (fish) , fishing , micropterus , population , shoal , catch and release , geography , environmental science , biology , recreational fishing , oceanography , demography , sociology , geology
The 20‐km section of the Tennessee River immediately downstream from Wilson Dam near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, has a national reputation for an excellent sport fishery of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu . Growth, mortality, population structure, and sport‐fishery characteristics were determined for this smallmouth bass population from February 1988 to January 1989. This information was used to compare recent characteristics of the fishery with historic characteristics, and to determine if harvest regulations are viable fishery management options. Smallmouth bass displayed good but not exceptional growth rates through age 3, and after age 3 (when the fish were about 300 mm total length) their growth exceeded all other river populations and regional averages. The smallmouth bass population had a high proportional stock density (72), sustained substantial fishing effort (135 h/hectare annually), and experienced high annual mortality (50–57%) that was largely attributable to harvest. Monthly fishing effort, catch rate, and harvest rate were similar through the study period; summer night fishing added a substantial component of effort, and resulted in higher catch rates but almost no harvest. Smallmouth bass anglers voluntarily released 68% of their catch, including many large fish (400–600 mm total length). Mean total length of harvested smallmouth bass (360 mm) was greater than that reported for other stream and river fisheries, and the catch rate (0.51 fish/h) exceeded most other fisheries. The majority (59%) of smallmouth bass anglers were satisfied with fishing quality, and fishing quality did not seem to differ from that of the mid‐1970s. The catch‐and‐release ethic of most smallmouth bass anglers seemed critical to maintaining fishing quality.