A Field Test Of The Use Of Scale Size At The Formation Of The First Annulus To Permanently Mass-Mark Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus Dolomieui Lacepede

This study, using smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui LacepMe, was a field test of a new method of permanently mass-marking fishes. This method consists of producing fish by means of rapid or prolonged growth whose scales have a significantly larger focus to first annulus distance than fish native to a stream chosen for stocking. In October, 1965, 322 young-of-the-year bass, that had been raised either in laboratory aquaria or a hatchery pond, were stocked in three headwater streams of Northwest Arkansas. Recapture attempts in June, 1966, yielded seven scale-marked bass from two of the three streams stocked, indicating the feasibility of this marking technique for certain types of field use.