Effectiveness of Slot-length Limits to Maintain an Arkansas Trophy Largemouth Bass Fishery Characterized by High Voluntary Release Rates by Anglers
Lake Monticello in southeastern Arkansas is a renowned destination for trophy-sized (≥3.63 kg) largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides; LMB). However, little analysis has been conducted on population characteristics of this population and the anglers fishing for them. Therefore, the size structure and potential harvest of the bass population was evaluated in the context of an existing 406-533 mm slot-length limit (SLL) and other potential SLLs. A total of 1023 LMB was collected using electrofishing during springs 2006-2007. Differences in growth were detected among gender with only one male...