Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Small limestone quarries may be found in many parts of the nation. In the Blue Grass Region of Kentucky these quarries frequently fill with water when abandoned. An effort was made to manage one such onefourth acre pond for fishing. The pond was poisoned in 1958, and then stocked with largemouth bass and bluegill bream the spring of 1959. For the next five growing seasons a heavy plankton bloom was maintained with commercial fertilizer. Hook and line fishing began in the spring of 1960 and continued through four growing seasons. For the first three years the bluegill fishing was excellent, the catch in pounds being; 128, 121, and 75 respectively. This would be equivalent to ~atches of 300 to 500 pounds per acre. The bluegill catch dropped to 28 pounds the last year because of imbalance. Too many largemouth had been removed the year before. The largemouth grew rather slowly, and no fish weighing more than 1 pound was caught until the last year.

In the summer of 1963, 18 of the 21 old river lakes in the Saline River basin, comprising 168 acres, were completely eradicated using rotenone. These lakes were subsequently overstocked with game fishes from our state-owned hatcheries. The theory being that fish from crowded populations will emigrate during overflow periods, providing desirable fish as stocks for the river. These fish were stocked early enough in the year to allow them to grow to sub-adults and to become acclaimed by the time of the first flood water.

Clay, loam, silt, and sand soil samples collected from dredging sites in Albemarle Sound were suspended in solutions of sea water varying from 0 to 25 per cent sea strength. Sedimentation rates were obtained by measuring the amount of light transmission through each solution as described by Coggin, 1960. Test suspensions were placed in a wind tunnel to determine the effect of wind action on sedimentation rates. Except for sand, no appreciable sedimentation of the suspended soils occurred in the zero concentrations of sea water during the entire test period. Rapid sedimentation of the other soil types tested occurred during the first 8 hours in all tests of all sea-water concentrations and no appreciable difference was noted between the various percentages of sea water. A simulated wind velocity of 7 miles per hour had no appreciable effect on the sedimentation rates in 10 per cent sea water.

Oilfield brines wasting into the Green River created an acute pollution problem over 100 miles in extent. Before August, 1958, the water was moderately hard, of the calcium magnesium bicarbonate type, and had an average chloride concentration of less than 10 ppm. With the disposal of brines coincident with the rapid development of the Greensburg oilfield in the spring of 1958, the water became very hard, changed to a sodium chloride type, and chloride concentrations frequently exceeded 1,000 ppm. The effects this pollution had on the water quality, fish fauna, and macro-invertebrate bottom fauna were determined and evaluated in a study that began in the summer of 1960 and continued through 1963. Domestic and industrial use of the water was seriously affected, as were private springs and wells. Ground water contamination was concentrated in the areas of greatest brine production in Green and Taylor Counties, but was noticeable as far as Brownsville, 100 miles downstream.

Two hundred and ten trees were topped and left standing as markers to locate channels and slough areas in four sections of Barkley Reservoir in Tennessee. These trees will extend above the surface of the water when the lake is at normal pool elevation and are spaced so that fishermen will be able to readily locate these creeks and sloughs which are thought to be the most desirable fishing areas. The creeks and sloughs which were marked and the number of trees left standing on each are as follows: Shelby Creek, 16; Bear Creek,120; Barrett Creek, 49; and Big Slough, 25. The total cost of this project was $2,224.00, and the average cost per tree was $10.59.

Parasite-free snails of the genus Physa were experimentally infected with the miracidia of Posthodiplostomum minimum, the metacercariae of which were originally obtained from bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus. Twelve species of fish representing 5 families (Cyprinidae, Cichlidae, Centrarchidae, Poeciliidae and Ictaluridae) were exposed to cercariae from the infected snails. Two sunfish hybrids (female green sunfish, L. cyanellus X male redeal' sunfish, L. microlophus; and female bluegill X male redeal') were also exposed to cercariae of P. minimum. Only members of the family Centrarchidae became infected. Moreover, only the bluegill and its hybrid contained metacercariae in substantial numbers.

An investigation was begun July 1, 1962 to determine the potential of snails infected with cercariae of Posthodiplostomum minimum to produce infection in bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus. Infected snails, in aluminum wire baskets, were stocked into plastic-lined pools at rates of 1 or 5 per pool. Bluegills of 2 sizes, 1-inch or 3-inch, were stocked into the pools. All bluegills were exposed to cercariae for 24 days at which time the experiment was terminated. One month later counts were made of the parasites found in each fish. One-inch bluegills contained an average of 20 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 1 infected snail and 37 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 5 infected snails. Three-inch bluegills contained an average of 110 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 1 infected snail and 200 parasites per fish when exposed to cercariae from 5 infected snails.

The result of applying pre-flooding applications of simazine to warm-water hatchery ponds employed in the culture of largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish fingerlings is described. Rates of 10 and 15 pounds active simazine per acre appeared to reduce the incidence of algal growths such as Pithophora and Hydrodietyon and inhibited development of submerged rooted weeds. Effects generally persisted for one production period but were not noticeable in succeeding production cycles. Some indication was obtained that phytoplankton development was retarded but fish production was not appreciably lower in treated ponds that that in untreated ones. The development of zooplankton did not appear to be retarded by simazine applications to bass rearing ponds. Some advantages of pre-flooding treatment of warm-water hatchery ponds are discussed.

The results of 116 aquatic weed control experiments using 10 herbicides and their combination are discussed. Included are data for pre-emergent soil application during winter draw-down, pre-emergent total pond treatments and post-emergent applications. Pre-emergent soil application during winter drawdown was comprised of 31 experiments, testing varying concentrations of eight different soil sterilants for the control of rooted aquatic weeds. D.M.A. (disodium monomethylarsonate) showed promise as a pre-emergent control of southern watergrass (Hydrochloa carolinensis). Also, fenac (2,3,6 trichloro phenyl acetic acid) was effective in clearing fishing areas in ponds heavily infested with a variety of aquatic plants. Both liquid and granules were used at concentrations of 10 Ibs. and 20 Ibs, active ingredients per acre. Best results were obtained when even distribution of the herbicides was accomplished.

Several chemicals that have been used in fish culture for the control of filamentous algae are discussed. Their effects on fish and fishfood organisms in ponds are reviewed. Results obtained from applications of Karmex to 26 ponds are presented. Data show that Karmax was effective against several forms of filamentous algae at rates above one-half pound per surface acre. Rates up to three pounds per surface acre had no adverse effects on fish or fish-food organisms. Presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners, October 18-21, 1964, Clearwater, Florida.

The toxicity to bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque) of 15 new or reformulated herbicides is presented. Six phenoxy compounds assayed were within toxicity limits previously reported. The endothal derivatives tested were also within previous limits but did show promise as an aquatic herbicide. Substituted urea compounds checked did not demonstrate any differences from those previously reported. A pelletized formulation of sodium arsenite was very toxic but should be more convenient to apply.

The fluctuation of water level as a lake management practice in Louisiana is explained using three lakes as examples. These lakes vary from 1,000 to 2,600 acres and are scattered over the state. Anacoco Lake, a 2,600 acre impoundment in central Louisiana, was fluctuated primarily for aquatic vegetation control. The vegetation was reduced 90% over a period of three years. The effects on the fish population as shown in annual rotenone samples were an increase in the game fish of available size and a decrease in the intermediate size sunfish. Fishing success improved markedly. Bussey Lake, an impoundment of 2,200 acres in northeastern Louisiana, was extensively studied. Fluctuation data is presented showing that noxious vegetation was reduced over 95% in two years. The effects on both the fish population and fishing success were extremely favorable with harvest per acre up over 250%.

Four lakes representing widely different types but of generally comparable size are compared from the standpoint of sustained angler harvest. The range in size is from 1000 acres to 2200 acres, in age from 5 years to 30 years, and from an artificial impoundment to a cut off stream channel. All four lakes are dependent to a large extent on the metropolitan area of Monroe, Louisiana for their fishing public. The catch rate varied from 0.4 pounds per hour on Bayou DeBiard to 1.2 pounds per hour on Bussey Lake. The yield varied from a high of 215 pounds per acre on Bussey Lake to a low of 14 pounds per acre on Lafourche Lake. A general description of the four lakes is presented including comments as to the adequacy of the boat rental facilities and access points. The impact of these factors on the harvest is discussed. Heavy fishing pressure on the lakes under study did not cause a marked reduction in the catch per hour.

Food habits, feeding habits, and relative vulnerability of various prey species to predation by young longnose gar were studied as part of a general life history research project. Stomach analysis of yearling and older gar revealed a predominant fish diet with gizzard shad the most common species found. Seventy-six per cent of the stomachs of these gar were empty. Regurgitation is probably the major cause of the high percentage of empty stomachs of gar caught in gill nets. The stomachs of young-of-the-year longnose gar contained almost entirely fish, with various minnows the most common items. Feeding habits of the young gar are described. An experiment concerning the relative vulnerability of prey to predation revealed wide differences in the ability of various species to avoid capture by the gar.

Hybrids were produced by crossing the black, smallmouth, and bigmouth buffalo fishes. Growth-rate data for a two-year period are presented. The black x bigmouth individuals showed a pronounced acceleration of growth over that of the other hybrids and their parent spedes. Presented at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Association of Game and Fish Commissioners, October 18-21, 1964, Clearwater, Florida.

During the 1964 striped bass spawning season, 383 female striped bass were treated with hormones at the Moncks Corner Striped Bass Hatchery and 337 (88%) were induced to ovulate as a result of the treatment. Three hundred and seventeen of the successful females were spawned in the hatchery for a yied of 322 million eggs and a hatch of 100 million fry. Chorionic gonadotropin was the most successful hormone used. Approximately 60 million fry were stocked in the Wateree Reservoir, a 13,710 acre impoundment, and early seining results indicate a significant survival.