A study was conducted which tested the orientation of the slotted opening in welded wire catfish baskets. Comparisons were made as to the catfish and gamefish catches when the slotted openings were set horizontally, vertically, or at random. Catch rates are presented in 48, 72, 96, and 120-hour set periods. Catfish (primarily white catfish) comprised 97.79 percent of the total weight, and were caught at an overall rate of 1.16 pounds per basket-day. The random, horizontal, and vertical opening baskets yielded 1.28, 1.06, and 1.15 pounds of catfish per basket-day, respectively. Catch rates for crappie were 0.021, 0.005, and 0.023 pounds per basket-day in the same order. The catch of gamefish species other than crappie was insignificant when compared with the total catch. However, on the basis of weight, the catch of these species in baskets with horizontal slots was one-half that taken by the randomly positioned slots and only one-third of the catch taken in baskets with vertical slots.
