Gerald R. Hooper

Tire and brush fish attractors were sampled during the Barkley Lake Rotenone Study. Standing crop comparisons were made between tire and brush attractors and control areas. Channel catfish (lctalurus punctatus), bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) were effectively concentrated by both types of attractors, although brush exceeded tires in concentrating all 4 species. Fish attractors were particularly effective in concentrating harvestable-sized fish.

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.

To determine the extent of pond owner management and the condition of balance of the fish population during the first 2 years of fishing in small ponds, 40 ponds were randomly selected for study from ISO ponds 1.0 acre or less in size stocked in the 1971-72 stocking season. Only five ponds contained balanced Hsh populations both study years. Primary factors aHecting fish population balance were fertilization, livestock utilization, competitive species, severe water level reduction or complete loss of water, and fish kills. Proper pond management was not practiced by most pond owners in the...

A study was undertaken during the period of 1962-65 to determine the minimum acreage of water which can produce and sustain a balanced largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, and redear sunfish, Lepomis microlophus (Gunther), population. Thirty-three ponds ranging from 0.17 to 0.25 acre and which contained no fish were selected in North Alabama during 1962-63. The ponds were stocked by the State Fish Hatchery during the 1962-63 season. Suggestions that would aid in the management of a pond to obtain the maximum production of fish...