Phillip W. Bettoli

An Assessment of Sauger Population Characteristics on Two Tennessee River Reservoirs

SEAFWA Journal Volume 2, March 2015

In 1992, a 356-mm minimum length limit (MLL) was enacted on Kentucky Lake and a 381-mm MLL was enacted on Watts Bar Lake, two mainstem reservoirs on the Tennessee River, in an attempt to reduce exploitation and improve the size structure of the sauger (Sander canadensis) populations. The objectives of this study were to compare sauger population characteristics immediately following (1993-1994) and 15 years after (2008-2009) the regulations took effect, examine spatial and temporal patterns in growth, examine recruitment patterns in each reservoir using a recruitment variability index (RVI...

The Recreational Snag Fishery for Paddlefish in Cherokee Lake, Tennessee

No information existed on the recreational snag fishery for paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) in Cherokee Lake in eastern Tennessee, purportedly the largest such fishery in the state. Therefore, a roving creel survey was conducted during the 15-day season in March 2008, 2009, and 2010. The fishery could be characterized as a a destination fishery in that 448 anglers in 239 parties drove an average of 80 km one-way (± 2.43 SE; range: 2-352) to participate. Most (67%) anglers were Tennesseans, followed by residents of Virginia (26%) and three other states. Most (80%) anglers had fished...

Dispersal, Mortality, and Predation on Recently-stocked Rainbow Trout in Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee

Forty-four hatchery-raised rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were implanted with ultrasonic tags and stocked into Dale Hollow Lake, Tennessee, and tracked at least once per week for eight weeks to describe post-stocking dispersal rates, movements, and habitat use. Dispersal followed a three-stage pattern characterized by rapid movement away from each stocking site during the first week, relatively little dispersal during the next three weeks, and further dispersion during the final four weeks that fish were tracked. Rainbow trout exhibited a strong affinity for coves and were rarely...

Dispersal and Dam Passage of Sonic-tagged Juvenile Lake Sturgeon in the Upper Tennessee River

More than 90,000 state-endangered lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) have been stocked into the French Broad River, Holston River, and Fort Loudoun Lake in the upper Tennessee River system. Although incidental reports of anglers catching these fish have increased, little is known about their fate after stocking. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate lake sturgeon dispersal throughout the system. Seven submersible ultrasonic receivers were deployed in the upper Tennessee River system and 37 juvenile fish (mean fork length = 660 mm) were surgically implanted with ultrasonic...

Seasonal Fluctuations in Growth and Condition of Trout in a Southeastern Tailwater

Growth and condition of rainbow trout and brown trout in the Caney Fork River below Center Hill Dam in middle Tennessee were investigated for 1 year. Rainbow trout stocked in that spring grew faster (13 mm and 20 g/month) than rainbow trout stocked in June and August 1997. Brown trout grew slower in summer and fall (8 mm and 10 g/month) in summer and fall and faster (17 mm and 61 g/month) in winter. Adjusted mean weight of brown trout dropped from 141 g in May 1997 to 113 g in October 1997. Rainbow trout stocked in summer 1997 lost 14% of their body weight by fall 1997. Condition of both...