Preliminary Observations Of Fish Attraction To Artificial Midwater Structures In Freshwater

Midwater artificial structures were placed in a freshwater reservioir to determine if fish would associate with these structures. SCUBA observations were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the structures. Alabama spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus henshalli) and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) were attracted to structures suspended over water depths up to 33 m and as far as 250 m from the shoreline. Behavioral observations of fish on structures and the development and subsequent association of spotted bass fry spawned on a structure are discussed.