First Year Growth and Survival of Stocked Largemouth Bass in a Small Oklahoma Impoundment

Liberty Lake was stocked with fingerling largemouth bass (Mieropterus salmoides) at 448/ha in July, 1980. Monthly electrofishing samples collected for 1 year following stocking showed 76.4% of the 1980-year-class to have been stocked. A bimodal length distribution of stocked fish appeared in fall, 1980 and continued throughout the sampling period. Decreased survival of the stocked largemouth bass during the winter was noted. Most mortality occurred in the slower-growing fish. However, a decline in the number of fish from both length modes was evident.