J. Don Brader

Feeding Habits Of Catfishes In Barkley And Kentucky Lakes

Indices of relative importance and forage ratios are presented for food items of channel (/cta!urus punctatus) and blue catfishes (I. furcatus) collected from two large impoundments in western Kentucky. Data reported include samples collected from September 1977 to April 1978. Young of the year catfishes from both lakes relied heavily on zooplankton and aquatic insects. Other food items which were seasonally important included debris, trichopterans, bryozoans, and fish. Teleosts were the most important food items of intermediate sized (150-300 mm TL) catfishes in both lakes. Hexageniid...