J. Wesley Neal

White bass (Morone chrysops) are a popular sport fish native to the Mississippi River basin and widely introduced elsewhere. We examined population characteristics of this species in three systems (Kentucky Lake, Tennessee; Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Mississippi; and Grenada Lake, Mississippi) with different habitats and fishery characteristics to evaluate whether population dynamics varied sufficiently to require system-specific management. Using white bass collected from these three systems in 2019–2020, we tested two aging techniques and found sectioning of otoliths pro...

Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 249 km h?1, made landfall on Puerto Rico on 20 September 2017. The extreme precipitation resulting from this hurricane, combined with already saturated soil and the steep, mountainous terrain of the island, led to historic flooding across most of Puerto Rico. Reservoirs in many of the river systems on the island were preemptively drawn down in an attempt to absorb the volume of floodwaters but were quickly overwhelmed. Since many of these reservoirs had been the focus of previous studies, a rare opportunity arose to evaluate how...

Aeration can circulate waters by disrupting thermal density differences associated with stratification, allowing homogenization of tempera- ture, oxygen, and other physicochemical characteristics within the water body. Use of lake and pond destratification as a management tool has been increasing in recent years, yet data are limited regarding its effects on fish communities. This case study examines the response of a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) population to destratification in a 2.4-ha pond over nearly a decade. Biomass (35.8–42.8 kg ha–1) and density (51–93 fish ha–1) of...

Angling participation has stagnated or declined in many regions, threatening the political and financial support for fisheries management. Angler recruitment programs aim to counteract these trends, but most are public programs targeting public water bodies. There are about 4.5 million small ponds and lakes in the United States, most of which are privately owned. These systems may play a major yet hidden role in angler recruitment. Using an online survey of avid pond owners and managers, we explored the ideas that private waters are providing youth angling opportunities, increasing fishing...

A new tool to provide wetland services is the floating streambed wetland (FSW), an active hydroponic system consisting of a polymer matrix floating substrate in which living plants are established. Water is circulated from beneath the FSW and across a streambed on the upper FSW surface, coming into contact with biofilms attached to the polymer matrix and associated root structures. Research has shown that FSW technology is efficient in removing nutrients and water contaminants, and recent manufacturer reports claim that FSW technology may also increase total fish biomass in small water...

Age-0 fish sampling is an important tool for predicting recruitment success and year-class strength of cohorts in fish populations. In Puerto Rico, limited research has been conducted on age-0 fish sampling with no studies addressing reservoir systems. In this study, we compared the efficacy of passively-fished light traps and actively-fished push nets for sampling the limnetic age-0 fish community in a tropical reservoir. Diversity of catch between push nets and light traps were similar, although species composition of catches differed between gears (pseudo-F = 32.21, df =1,23, P < 0....

Triploid largemouth bass may have potential in sport fish management and in food fish production as a means to eliminate reproduction, which would, in turn, potentially increase somatic growth. To examine this potential, four cohorts of diploid and triploid largemouth bass were produced over a 10 &#45 yr period and tagged intramuscularly with coded wire tags. Bass were stocked into Lucchetti Reservoir, Puerto Rico, and recaptured during subsequent sampling events. Growth rates, condition (relative weight, Wr), and reproductive investment (gonadosomatic index, GSI) were compared for...

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are the primary sport fish in Puerto Rico reservoirs and the majority of management efforts directed at this species primarily employ electrofishing in sampling activities. However, little attention has been given to evaluating electrofishing sampling efficiency in these systems. To evaluate differences in diel and seasonal electrofishing efficacy, largemouth bass were sampled in two diel periods (day: 0900-1500 h; night: 2100-0300 h) every three months over a three-year period in Lucchetti Reservoir, Puerto Rico, using a boom-mounted...

This case study examines the development of an overcrowded largemouth bass population following initial stocking in a tropical reservoir and efforts to correct crowding with a protected slot length limit. Cerrillos Reservoir is a relatively new impoundment (filled 1996) in Puerto Rico and is one of only two reservoirs that have been stocked exclusively with pure Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus). Largemouth bass were first stocked in Cerrillos Reservoir in 1997 and the population quickly expanded. Within three years, relative weight declined from above 100 to...

Urban fishing programs in Arkansas rely primarily on put-take stockings of channel catfish and rainbow trout. We evaluated hybrid striped bass as a potential addition to urban fisheries by stocking this fish at densities of 95 and 96 fish/ha in two urban fishing ponds. Angler surveys were conducted three times daily for five weeks following stocking to determine angler demographics, fishing success, and attitudes/preferences. We surveyed 320 anglers comprised primarily of local urban residents. They exerted 686 hours of fishing effort, catching 574 fish, including sunfish (38%), channel...