Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

Since February of 1954, as an integral part of an investigation of fish populations in the Santee-Cooper Reservoirs, special emphasis has been placed on a study of the striped bass to determine whether a resident or migratory population is present. Evidence collected during the past several months, based on spawning ground location, samples taken of fish movement through the navigation lock, and recent recoveries from a tagging study, emphasize the possibility that a resident population is established. Striped bass spawning, based on the collection of eggs and larvae, was found to occur in the Tailrace Canal and Cooper River, below the reservoirs; in the Diversion Canal, between the reservoirs; and in the Congaree and Wateree Rivers, tributary streams of the reservoirs.

A technique of vegetation conversion for the liberation of nutrients contained in filamentous algae and submerged rooted aquatic plants is presented as a practice which may prove useful in the management of warm-water hatchery ponds and possibly small farm ponds. An experiment in the production of bluegill fingerlings was conducted comparing three methods of fertilization with the vegetation converson technique. The rate of production in the conversion treatment compared favorably with that in two of the three fertilizer treatments and the cost of production was less than half that of the best fertilizer treatment. The density of phytoplankton as measured by the light penetration readings made during the growing season was best in the vegetation conversion treatment. Of the fifteen ponds receiving inorganic fertilizer, four of the ponds were dominated by the branched summer alga Pithophora, and four developed rooted aquatic vegetation.

In 1950 Kentucky held its first legalized open season for the gigging and snagging of rough fishes. The legalization of this type of fishing was the result of an experimental study made in the spring of 1949 on Stoner Creek, Bourbon County, Kentucky. This study showed that rough fish made up 95.9 percent of the total harvest in pounds. During the open seasons of 1951, 1952, and 1953 a general statewide creel census has been taken. This census has substantiated the experimental study. A total of 9,278 fishermen were contacted. These fishermen took a total of 29,203.6 pounds of fish, the average weight of which was 1.09 pounds. Of this total poundage the average percent of total weight of the rough fish for the three years of census was 98.9. At no time did the game and pan fishes combined have a total weight of more than 4.1 percent of the total harvest. It has been found necessary to close some streams in the State to gigging and snagging.

The upper 46 miles of the North Fork of Licking River in Mason County, Kentucky, were treated in July, 1952, with 5-percent powdered rotenone to eradicate the entire fish population. This experimental section was then left open at all times to rough fish movement and recruitment. North Fork was selected as being typical of the many warm-water streams in the state having a high rough fish population which once offered better than average game fish angling. Five random population samples totaling 2.88 acres in area were taken prior to the eradication operation. They yielded 2,662 fish weighing 466.49 pounds. Game fish species occupied only 4.51 percent by number and 6.54 percent by weight of the total population. These samples revealed the stream was supporting an average of 161.98 pounds of fish per acre. Restocking of game and pan fishes was begun one week after eradication.

During a series of netting studies conducted on Kentucky Lake, scale samples were collected from the white crappie that were harvested. Age and growth data was computed for 925 individuals of this species. These data showed that the white crappie in this impoundment reached a length of 4.63 inches at the end of the first year, 7.87 inches at the end of the second, 10.44 inches at the completion of the third year's growth, and 11.86 inche as at the end of the fourth. The oldest fishes examined during the study were in their sixth year, and had attained an average length of 12.76 inches at the completion of their fifth year's growth. The relationship of length to weight is expressed by the formula: W = CLn, or in this instance: Log W = 3.7664 + 3.4566 Log L. This formula was used in determining each of the calculated weights.