Stephen J. Reeser

When estimating population size of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) using the multi-pass removal method with electrofishing, understanding the significance of capture avoidance is important. One-hundred-fifty smallmouth bass were tagged with external radio transmitters and monitored during depletion sampling in seven different river reaches in Virginia. Capture avoidance of radio-tagged smallmouth bass during electrofishing averaged 33.7% (SE = 5.75%). Avoidance appeared to be random across the sample reaches and there were no significant correlations between capture avoidance...

Food habits of redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and white sucker (Catostomus commersoni) populations in the Shenandoah River Basin, Virginia, were assessed during 2002 to identify dietary pathways and patterns potentially affecting mercury uptake. Aquatic insects (71% to 83%) were the principal food item of redbreast sunfish, while smallmouth bass mainly consumed aquatic insects (32% to 48%), crayfish (19% to 31%), and fish (22% to 29%). Principal food items of white sucker included aquatic insects (20% to 26%) and detritus (66% to 70%)....