E. E. Prather

Channel catfish were stocked in 27, 1/10-acre ponds at the rate of 3,000 per acre and fed nine commercial-type rations containing three protein percentages and three levels of fish meal for 200 days. Average survival for the experiment was 96.8% and 93% of the fish were over 12 inches in length at harvest. Average yield for treatments ranged from 2,330 to 3,030 Ib/acre and the average for all treatments was 2,638 lb. The results indicated that satisfactory production can be obtained with all-plant rations. The 29%. all-plant protein diet yielded 2,330 Ib/ acre of harvestable size...

Six experimental catfish feeds, containing 29, 36, and 42% crude protein at metabolizable energy (ME) levels of 1000 and 1300 kcal per Ib, were fed to fingerling channel catfish in 24, 1/ I0-acre earthen ponds for 165 days. Each dietary treatment was randomly assigned to four ponds which were stocked at a rate of 4,000 fish per acre. Feed allowance was increased biweekly on the basis of fish weight gain until a maximum daily allowance of 40 Ib per acre was reached. The higher energy plane resulted in greater weight gains, more fish protein produced per acre, and slightly fatter fish, at...

Vitamin fortification of the Auburn No.2 pelleted fish feed increased net production of channel catfish an average of 19.3 percent in feeding tests conducted in replicated earthen ponds between April 13 and November 9, 1970. A stocking density of 4,000 fingerlings acre was used and the fish were fed 6 days per week. In comparison to a second commercial catfish feed containing identical v\\tamin fortification the fortified Auburn No.2 feed produced an increase in net production of 39.5 percent. Feed conversion, gain per day and average weight of fish at harvest were all superior with...

Channel and white catfish fingerlings, stocked in ponds with largemouth bass at densities of 2,000 to 3,000 catfish per acre separately or in combination and given daily feeding have continued to provide excellent sport fishing. Four-inch fingerling catfish stocked by February and given supplemental feeding at rates of 2 to 3 percent body weight daily reached harvestable size of 0.7 lb. by October at which time the ponds were opened to fishing. Harvest by fishermen in ponds stocked with 2,000 catfish per acre ranged up to 1,292 pounds catfish per acre during a 12-month period following...

Photographic prints were made of scales taken from largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepede) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) of known ages by the use of a micro-projection machine. The image of each scale was projected directly upon photographic paper to produce, upon development, a permanent negative print. In an examination of the prints of 272 largemouth bass scales, 80.1 percent were aged correctly when the ages were unknown to the technician. When the scales first aged incorrectly were re-examined after the technician knew the actual ages, an additional 3.7...

Albino (golden) and normal channel catfish were compared in feeding experiments during a 346-day period. There was no difference in rate of growth, but the percentage of survival was 94.2 for the normal catfish and 81.1 for the albinos. Fishing success was similar for the two.

The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) has proved to be a very promising sport fish in ponds. Fingerlings stocked in February 1958 in a 12.4-acre pond at the rate of 2,000 per acre in combination with fathead minnows and largemouth bass, and given supplemental feeding daily except Sunday, averaged 0.7 pounds by September. During the following periods, September 24 to December 8, and March 14 to October 6, fishermen caught per acre 1,292.5 pounds of channel catfish, 36.9 pounds of largemouth bass, and 27.0 pounds of miscellaneous sunfish. The number of fishing trips per acre averaged 579...