Jerome F. Germann

Establishment of a trophy (2500 mm TL) rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, put, grow, and take fishery was evaluated with tag rewards and creel surveys. Over 310,000 catchable rainbow trout were stocked in Richard B. Russell Reservoir from 1988 to 1991. A $5.00 reward was offered for return of tags from 28,000 trout. Yearly tag returns ranged from 9.8% to 2.6%. Average tag reporting rate was 42% with a high of 50% and a low of 37%. Tag loss was estimated at 16.6% in 1991. About 60% of tags returned were captured within 14 days after stocking and an additional 19% between 61 and 210 days...

Food habits of adult white bass, (Morone chrysops), were studied in Clarks Hill Reservoir from 1 July 1980 to 30 June 1981. Stomachs from 137 white bass ranging from 225 mm to 415 mm total length and 0.12 kg to 0.76 kg were examined. Overall, threadfin shad was the predominant food item of white bass (56% frequency of occurrence). Analysis by season indicated that insect larvae and non-shad fishes were of periodic importance. Similarities were found in frequency of occurrence and seasonal trends. Food habits of white bass were compared to hybrid bass using relative importance indices.

Hybrid bass (Marone saxatilis X Marone chrysops) age, growth, survival, and condition indices were studied in 1980 and 1981 to gain information needed to refine the hybrid bass stocking program on Clarks Hill Reservoir, Georgia. Age and growth data and survival estimates were derived using scales taken from fish collected with gill nets over a 12-month interval. Average calculated lengths for 1975-1980 year classes were age I, 279 mm; age II, 429 mm; age III, 491 mm; age IV, 536 mm; age V, 598 mm; and age VI, 561 mm. Relative mortality rates were positively correlated with increased...

Food habits of hybrid bass (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops) were studied in Clarks Hill Reservoir from 1 July 1980 to 30 June 1981. Stomachs from 820 hybrid bass ranging from 221 mm to 736 mm total length and 0.13 kg to 4.21 kg were examined. Overall, threadfin shad was the predominant food item of hybrid bass (62% frequency of occurrence). Data indicated hybrid bass were fully utilizing the threadfin shad. Hybrid bass did not shift to gizzard shad despite the apparent winter depletion of threadfin shad. Analysis by season and by size group indicated that insect larvae and non-shad...

The effects of increased water hardness. salinity. and source of fry on the survival and growth of striped bass fry from three females from the Cooper River, South Carolina. and two females from the Savannah River. Georgia. were studied at the Fisheries Research Unit. Auburn University, from 6 April to 11 June. 1971. Fry were stocked in one ofthree water treatments: control with a total hardness of 30 to 40 ppm; added hardness. 125 to 175 ppm; and added salinity, (chlorides) 1,100 to 1,500 ppm. Variance tests for homogeneity and contingency tables were employed for data analysis. Survival...

Life history data were collected from Suwannee River and Okefenokee Swamp warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) from 19 July 1968 through 28 June 1973. Suwannee River warmouth became sexually mature in the third year of life. while warmouth from the Okefenokee Swamp became sexually mature in the second year of life. Collection of fecund warmouth suggested that the nesting season extended from April to late July or early August and that peak spawning generally occurred in early May. Fecundity estimates varied from 3,029 to 22,850 ova per female and generally increased with fish length. The average...