Christopher R. Middaugh

Tandem baited hoop nets (TBHN) are the most efficient gear used to evaluate channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) populations in reservoirs. However, sampling month and bait used in TBHN have varied among collections in Arkansas and in published studies. Understanding how catch rates and size structure might change by season or bait type will help inform standard sampling protocols used by management agencies. We evaluated catch rates, size structure, and turtle bycatch of TBHN in two lakes in eastern Arkansas (Lake Greenlee and Lake Des Arc) using Zote^TM soap and...

Abstract: Management agencies within native largemouth bass (LMB; Micropterus nigricans) range across the United States regularly stock non-native pure Florida bass (FLB; Micropterus salmoides) or reciprocal LMB × FLB F1 hybrids to enhance angling opportunities based on public demand. Often, these stocked fish are introduced into waterbodies already occupied by LMB, which readily hybridize with FLB. This hybridization and resulting genetic integration of FLB alleles into the population is often considered the goal of stocking programs. However, managers have little...

To enhance trophy potential of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fisheries, state agencies across the southeastern United States commonly stock Florida largemouth bass (FLMB, M. s. floridanus) outside of their native range into native northern largemouth bass (NLMB, M. s. sal- moides) populations. This practice has been ongoing for decades but spatial patterns associated with the spread of FLMB alleles in a reservoir after stocking are not well understood. From 2007–...

The Florida largemouth bass (FLMB; Micropterus salmoides floridanus) is widely stocked throughout the southeastern United States with the intent of increasing the size potential of resident northern largemouth bass (NLMB; M. s. salmoides) populations. During the early 2000s the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission initiated an eight-year FLMB stocking program on selected reaches of DeGray Lake and Lake Ouachita in an effort to sat- isfy angler preferences. The goal of this stocking program was to achieve 40% of sampled largemouth bass in each introduction zone...