Scott F. Morrison

Seasonal Movements of Muskellunge in North Bend Lake, West Virginia

SEAFWA Journal Volume 2, March 2015

North Fork Hughes River, West Virginia, is a native muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) stream and is impounded by North Bend Lake, a 12.4-km long, 123-ha impoundment that serves as an important brood source for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Muskellunge movement was monitored from 26 March 2010 through 2 January 2014 to monitor seasonal movements and to verify muskellunge migration through the outlet structure of the dam. Twenty-four fish were collected using pulsed DC boat-mounted electrofishing equipment and surgically implanted with acoustic trans- mitters. Six submersible...

Biological Characteristics of the Middle Island Creek Muskellunge Population, West Virginia

Muskellunge Esox masquinongy ohioensis were examined to determine biological characteristics, movement patterns, and habitat preferences, and to evaluate these characteristics between a catch-and-release reach and standard regulation reaches on Middle Island Creek, a stream in west central West Virginia. Between 2002 and 2007, 245 muskellunge were collected 371 times with pDC-boatmounted electrofishing equipment. Individual fish were measured, and muskellunge great than 450 mm were inserted with two different tags prior to release. Release locations were noted with global positioning...