Food Habits, Growth, And Length-Weight Relationships Of Young-Of-The-Year Black Crappie And Largemouth Bass In Ponds

Food, growth and length-weight relationships of young-of-the-year largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) were studied. Stomachs of 220 bass and 186 crappie were examined. Crappie fed mainly on zooplankton but consumed more aquatic insects as their size increased. Bass fed on zooplankton and aquatic insects, but grew faster when small crappie were available. Crappie grew faster when their numbers were reduced by bass predation. Length-weight relationships were calculated for 601 bass and 496 crappie.