Robert T. Rachels

Abstract.: A total of 747 flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) were collected from Sutton Lake cooling reservoir located near Wilmington, North Carolina (1999 to 2006), using boat-mounted electrofishing techniques. Individuals >600 mm total length accounted for 70% of all fish collected and trophysized fish (>1,020 mm total length) accounted for 9% of all fish collected. Mean total length (TL) at age was described by the von Bertalanffy growth curve as TL = 1,200 (1-e-0.17[age + 0.93]). Sutton Lake flathead catfish total annual mortality (A) was 0.32. The well-established flathead...

We compared catfish catch per unit effort (CPUE), species composition, and size distribution data collected by a Smith-Root 7.5 GPP boat-mounted electrofishing unit, a Smith-Root 7.5 GPP boat-mounted electrofishing unit used in conjunction with the Smith-Root “Catfish Zapper,” and with the micro-electronic device known as the “Skoal Box.” A combined 1,175 catfish were collected from 6 sites within the Cape Fear and Lumber rivers in the summers of 2000 and 2001. The Smith-Root 7.5 GPP (GPP) collected 549 catfish (46.7%) during the 2-year period while the Smith-Root 7.5 GPP used with the...

We examined food habits of bowfin (Amia calva), in the Black and Lumber rivers, North Carolina. Stomachs from 192 Black River bowfin and 175 Lumber River bowfin were analyzed to determine frequency of occurrence and percent by number and weight of individual food items consumed from 1994 to 1997. Crustaceans [primarily crayfish (Astacidae) and grass shrimp (Palaemonidae)] were the dominant food item consumed by bowfin in both rivers. They occurred, on average, in 79% of Black River bowfin stomachs containing food and accounted for 65% by number and 53% by weight of all food items consumed...

The objective of this study was to document changes in catch rates (fish/hour) and size structure of the redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) populations in the Black and Lumber rivers, North Carolina, over a 4-year period following implementation of a 12-fish daily creel limit. Using boat-mounted electrofishing gear, 123, 122, 94, and 59 redbreast sunfish were collected from the Black River from 1994 through 1997. Numbers of redbreast sunfish collected from the Lumber River during the same years were 257, 252, 164, and 183. Mean CPUE for Black River redbreast sunfish was 18, 19, 16, and 7...