Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Striped bass were successfully ovulated in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina some 150 miles from their natural spawning grounds and about one month before their normal spawning time. Brood fish were purchased from commercial fishermen, consequently the eggs so obtained were salvaged out of a sacrificial situation. The fish were collected from pound nets following narcosis by electric shock; the narcosis being maintained by the addition of Quinaldine to the water in the boat holding tank until the female fish had been injected with human chorionic gonadotropin at the egg taking station. During egg maturation, the female striped bass were held individually in glass-fronted aquaria. Whenever a fish was transferred from one aquarium to another, or whenever egg samples needed to be taken, the fish normally were tranquilized by the addition of Quinaldine to the aquarium water before the fish were handled.

Fry striped bass, Roccus saxatilis (Walbaum)" were hatched at the Weldon, North Carolina State Fish Hatchery from eggs obtained from hormone-injected females collected from commercial pound nets in Albemarle Sound, North Carolina. The fry were packaged when two and three days old in conventional square (15" x 15" x 22") plastic bags with an oxygen atmosphere and shipped to Arkansas by airplane in insulated containers. Two hundred thousand (200,000) fry were held in each of two 58-gallon aquaria at the Joe Hogan State Fish Hatchery, Lonoke, Arkansas, for six days. Frequently changed, filtered pond water was used. At the end of six days when the fry were eight and nine days old and were swimming horizontally and feeding, they were released into a seven and one-fourth (7.25)-acre nursery pond.

Striped bass, Roccus saxatilis (Walbaum), fingerlings were stocked in five ponds, three sections of a water control canal, and 14 metal troughs. In trough experiments Purina Trout Chow was found not to contain all nutrients needed for rapid growth of fingerling striped bass. Pond experiments indicated that fathead minnows are among the preferred forage species. Mortality among trough-reared fish was 14.7 percent. Over a 16-week period, increases in total length averaged 70.6 mm for fish reared in troughs and 54.9 mm for fish in a fed pond. In ponds stocked with redfin pickerel (Esox americanus americanus Gmelin) and Tilapia sp., increases in total length of striped bass averaged 51.8 mm in 14 weeks. Aquaria tests indicated that tetracycline hydrochloride is effective against columnaris disease at a concentration of 15 ppm for 72 hours. Preliminary results indicate that striped bass can be successfully reared in troughs on dry feeds.

Data are presented on the effects cold water discharge from Hartwell Dam has on a twenty-mile stretch of river between Hartwell and Clark Hill Reservoirs and its influence on the temperature and oxygen concentrations beneath the thermocline in the lower lake. This study revealed that oxygen concentration increased from 0.7 ppm to between 3.2 and 6.7 ppm when the sub-60 degree F. water was taken from a 105-foot depth in Hartwell Lake and discharged into the tailrace during generation periods. This water further increased its oxygen content as it became agitated while moving over shoal areas between the two reservoirs even though the water temperature sometimes reached 80 degrees F. for short periods of time when the river was low following generation shutdown.

A sport fishery for rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) was created in the lower one-third of a 38,000-acre Oligotrophic reservoir. Maximum temperatures of 70° F. and a minimum of 3 p.p.m. oxygen were evaluated as criteria for establishing this "two-story" fishery. Stockings of 8 - 10-inch trout were made in the winter months and weight gains were up to threefold in a six-month period. Food utilized by the trout was primarily the threadfin shad (Dorosoma petenense). Movement of the trout did not exceed ten miles from the stocking locations, and a majority was caught within five miles.

Twelve years of trout stream management on the Standing Indian Wildlife Management Area in North Carolina has involved a fixed annual stocking of marked hatchery-reared trout. A complete creel census has been mandatory on the Area streams so that the catch of both stocked and wild trout could be followed. It was concluded from this study that: (1) Wild trout populations deteriorated after two consecutive years of 40 trips per acre per year; (2) Hatchery-reared trout provided only a buffer to the destructive harvest of wild trout up to a point, then when the wild trout have been depleted the hatchery fish became dominant in the harvest; (3) Up to that point, harvest of wild trout, not the harvest of the stocked trout, upheld the trout fishery; and (4) Increased fishing pressure resulted in decreased average catch and catch per hour, whereas, decreased pressure resulted in higher average catches.

Fontana Reservoir, located in the mountains of western North Carolina, covers 10,670 surface acres at full pool elevation of 1,710 feet. The reservoir is approximately 29 miles long, has 248 miles of shoreline, a maximum depth of 440 feet, and three influent rivers, the Nantahala, Little Tennessee, and Tuckaseigee. Temperature and chemical profiles were taken monthly from June 1964 through December 1965 at five permanent sampling stations.

Distribution and abundance of eight centrarchid fishes were studied on Delta National Wildlife Refuge from August, 1963 through January, 1965. Gear used to collect the fish included rotenone, gill nets, trammel nets, bag seine, minnow seine and electric shocker. Standing crop samples were conducted using rotenone and block-off nets. Salinity was a major factor which limited distribution of centrarchids on the refuge. Pond depth and turbidity were also factors affecting distribution and abundance. Oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH and alkalinity were found to be within suitable levels for fishes during sampling periods. Spotted sunfish had the most diversified distribution of any centrarchid. Largemouth bass preferred the clearer, deeper waters. Warmouth occurred in more turbid waters than other centrarchids. Centrarchids averaged 32.79 per cent of the total standing crop of fishes in area 1, 23.54 per cent in area 2 and 4.44 per cent in area 3.

Data obtained from 28,454 Wildlife Protector interviews during the course of routine license and creel checks between April 1, 1964 and March 31, 1965 supported the following estimates respecting the "rodand-reel" sport fishery in the Inland Waters of North Carolina: Respecting Angler Numbers: Licensed - 404,878 (53%) Unlicensed-357,335 (47%) Respecting Choice of Gear: By licensed anglers: cane pole 32%; casting rod 49%; fly rod 9% By unlicensed anglers: cane pole 64%; casting rod 26%; fly rod 4% All anglers: cane pole 47%; casting rod 38%; fly rod 7% Respecting Choice of Baits: By licensed anglers: natural 63%; artificial 22% By unlicensed anglers: natural 98%; artificial 1% By all anglers: natural 80%; artificial 12% (Balance indicates both baits used on same trip) Respecting Catches: The percentage of the estimated Statewide harvest from Inland Waters by "rod-and-reel": sunfishes 44.0%; crappie 19.1%; white perch 12.6%; catfishes 10.0%; largemouth bass 3.6%;

A non-uniform probability creel survey was conducted in conjunction with a stratified two-hour survey. The methods of each survey are described. Analysis of results in terms of fishing pressure showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two surveys, but the non-uniform probability survey proved to be 38 percent more efficient.

Samples of the following 14 genera of algae were collected from various geographical or geological areas during the period from April to November 1965 and subjected to mineral determinations; Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Chara, Cladophora, Euglena, Hydrodictyon, Lyngbya, Micro cystis, Mougeotia, NiteUa, Oedogonium, Pithophora, Rhizoclonium, and Spirogyra. There was considerable variation in the levels of most elements, both within and between genera. Phytoplankton algae had low metal ion contents and high carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous concentrations. Nonplankton algae generally contained more metallic ions and less carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous.

The natural production of sulfides is responsible for poor channel catfish production in many acid lakes in Northeast Texas. The TLm of un-ionized hydrogen sulfide for channel catfish fry ranged from 0.8 ppm at pH of 6.8 to 0.53 at pH 7.8. At pH 7.0 the TLm of this gas is 1.0 ppm for fingerling catfish, 1.3 for advanced fingerlings and 1.4 for adult channel catfish. Small fish were also killed quicker when exposed to these concentrations. Maximum concentrations of hydrogen sulfide are produced in the spring. Channel catfish populations can be maintained by continued stocking of adult fish or by raising the pH with agricultural limestone, which in turn lowers the toxic un-ionized hydrogen sulfide.

A 230-volt, 180-cycle alternating current; a 115-volt, 60-cycle alternating current and a 115-volt direct current were used to attempt to kill intermediate-size bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, Rafinesque, without harming largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede). Bluegill and largemouth bass were placed in screen pens in concrete ponds and exposed to different voltages, electrode types and exposure periods. No largemouth bass were killed during exposure periods which killed 75 percent of the bluegill. The 230 volts killed more bluegill than 115 volts A.C. or 115 volts D.C. However, 230 volts A.C. did not kill sufficient percentages of bluegill with short (8-10 second) exposures.

Bioassays were conducted on two herbicides, potassium azide and sodium azide, using the red crawfish, Procambarus clarki, and bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, as test animals. These chemicals proved to be more toxic to crawfish than to fish. Comparisons are made of laboratory toxicity values and field tests conducted in rice fields. Recommended techniques for crawfish bioassays are described.

Eleven rotenone studies were evaluated with SCUBA gear between 1961-1964 to determine the numbers and weights of fish that do not float to the surface and are not recovered. It was determined that 74% of the number and 95% of the weight of all fishes present in the sample area were recovered on the surface within a 52-hour period. Fingerling fishes represented 91% of the unrecovered population by numbers; intermediates, 6%; and harvestable-size fish, 3%. The species of fish which were lost in the greatest numbers were threadfin shad, brook silverside, gizzard shad, black bass and white crappie, respectively. The highest percentage of recovery occurred during the month of September with the low recorded in August. Species composition and size distribution affected the recovery of fish more than other factors.

A method of locking fishes through a model representing a small impoundment structure was tested and found successful. Ten species of fishes were passed both upstream and downstream through two gates which were operated alternately and in such a manner as to provide attracting flows during the entire cycle.

Stomach contents were examined from 579 longear sunfish, 381 green sunfish, 173 bluegill, 206 largemouth bass, 264 smallmouth bass, and 328 spotted bass collected from the shoreline area of Bull Shoals Reservoir, April 1964 - March 1965. The food of the six species by seasons and size groups (0-1.9, 2.0-3.9, 4.0-7.9 and 8.0 plus inches) is presented. Fish contributed 85 to 99% of the total volume of food of the black basses four inches or more in length. Threadfin and gizzard shad were the most common prey species (50% or more of the volume). Consumption of longear, green, and bluegill sunfish by the basses was also significant (19% of volume). Longear sunfish over four inches in length relied heavily on terrestrial insects (37%), green sunfish on crayfish (63%), and bluegill on terrestrial insects (23%) and filamentous algae (23%). Utilization of fish by the larger sunfishes was minor, except for heavy consumption of dead or dying threadfin shad during a winter mortality.

Photographic prints were made of scales taken from largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides Lacepede) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) of known ages by the use of a micro-projection machine. The image of each scale was projected directly upon photographic paper to produce, upon development, a permanent negative print. In an examination of the prints of 272 largemouth bass scales, 80.1 percent were aged correctly when the ages were unknown to the technician. When the scales first aged incorrectly were re-examined after the technician knew the actual ages, an additional 3.7 percent was found to have the correct number of annuli although many were indistinct. A total of 16.2 percent of the bass scales did not possess annuli corresponding to the known ages. In an examination of 264 prints of the scales of bluegill, 76.1 percent were aged correctly when the ages were unknown.