Use of Scale Pattern Analysis to Identify Age-0 Largemouth Bass Stocks in a Small Texas Reservoir

Scale pattern analysis was used to differentiate between stocked and wild age-0 largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in New Mart Lake, Texas. Scale samples were collected from wild (intergrade) and stocked (Florida) largemouth bass during spring 1995. Stocked fish were tagged with coded wire tags to ensure proper identification. During fall 1995, 88 age-0 wild and stocked largemouth bass were collected by electrofishing. Using linear discriminant function analysis, correct classification for the 71 wild fish was 97%, while correct classification for the 17 stocked fish ranged from 53% to 82%. Scale pattern analysis is an alternative technique for evaluating largemouth bass stocking programs.