Michael J. Ryan

One hundred and seventy-six trophy-size (?3.6 kg) largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), entered into a privately-sponsored catch-and-release program at Caddo Lake, Texas/Louisiana, were tagged and monitored to assess angler recapture rates, genetic composition, and their distribution within the lake. All largemouth bass program entries were scanned for tags to determine angler recapture rates over a 4-year period. Blood samples were obtained from initial entries and used to determine genetic composition using random amplified polymorphic DNA testing. Genetic data were used to evaluate...

Genetically-marked Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) fingerlings with rare or unique genotypes were stocked into nursery ponds at Lake Conroe (8,484 ha) and Lake Gladewater (323 ha). Following grow-out, advancedsize individuals were stocked into respective reservoirs. We measured the contribution of stocked individuals to corresponding year classes in receiving reservoirs. Largemouth bass survival in nursery ponds at the end of the grow-out period was 15.6% at Lake Conroe and 20.9% at Lake Gladewater. A total of 2.8 fish/ha (mean total length = 138 mm) were stocked...

A creel survey was conducted from 1 September 1990 through 31 August 1991 to estimate fishing pressure and catch rates, initial mortality, and value of fishes captured in an entanglement gear fishery at Wright Patman Reservoir, Texas. Mean daily net fishing pressure ranged from 3,508 m/day (fall) to 763 m/day (summer). Commercial nets accounted for 85% of the annual netting pressure. Catch rates of sport and commercial fishes declined as bar mesh size increased from 76 to 102 mm. Smallmouth buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) was the dominant species represented in entanglement gear, comprising 70...

A fish die-off involving primarily threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense) occurred from July through September 1985 in Lake Monticello, Texas. Heated water discharged from the Monticello Power Plant plus adverse climatic conditions elevated lake water temperatures influencing fish distribution and survival. Respiratory stressors due to crowding of fish in limited refuge areas and intensified by prolonged high water temperatures, are suspected to have caused the mortality of an estimated 756,000 fish valued at $47,000.

Food habits of largemouth bass, (Micropterus salmoides) , from 2 heated East Texas reservoirs having different prey communities were studied. In Lake Monticello, shad, primarily threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense), were the dominant prey most of the year. Sunfishes were the major food item in winter months. Shad were especially important in the diets of largemouth bass 153 - 306 mm in total length. Utilization of sunfishes increased with size of largemouth bass. Sunfishes and shad were equally abundant in the diets of largemouth bass ≥306 mm TL. Largemouth bass population structure and...