William D. Davies

Studies in large and small ponds conducted on the Auburn University Fisheries Research Station from 1981 through 1983 suggest that gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) severely competed with largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) populations. Gizzard shad introductions lowered bluegill reproductive success and caused an imbalance the first year of introduction. Gizzard shad grew rapidly through the size range where they were vulnerable to largemouth bass predation; in this 3-year study, largemouth bass were unable to control gizzard shad numbers. Within 2...

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were tagged on West Point Reservoir, Alabama-Georgia in 1976-1978 to estimate rates offishing. During the 3 years, several factors affecting these estimates were evaluated. Non-response by anglers who recovered non-reward tags was calculated to be 0.66; tag loss was estimated to occur at an average rate of 4% per week; tagging mortality and displacement offish while tagging did not appear to affect estimates of fishing mortality.

Supplemental stocking of fingerling and intermediate size largemouth bass (Mieropterus salmoides) did not provide substantial control of forage fish populations; however, stocking fingerling bass may have improved year class strength in those years they were stocked. Although loss of stocked intermediate-size bass over the spillway was negligible, those fish were vulnerable to angling. A measured rate of fishing (F = 0.08) was exerted on a population of bass estimated at 22.3 harvestable bass/ha weighing 34 kg/ha.

The growth of bluegill is compared from four Alabama farm ponds where two ponds were stocked with adult bass and bluegill and two were stocked with adult bass and fingerling bluegill. Results from fishing records show that the stocking rate of adult bass plus fingerling bluegill produces larger than average bluegill the first year after stocking.