ML19317E164
| ML19317E164 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Oconee  |
| Issue date: | 06/30/1967 |
| From: | Fullo J, May O, James Webb SOUTH CAROLINA, STATE OF |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7912160032 | |
| Download: ML19317E164 (43) | |
Text
ST/.TE South Carolina PROJECT NO.
F-9-R-S PERIOD OVr, RED:
July 1. 1966 througn June 30, 1967
?
COMBINED QUARTERLY AND ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
~F As Required By FEDERAL AID IN FISH AND WILDLIFE RESTORATION ACTS 1.
Title of Project: Fisheries Investigations in Lakes and Streams--District II 2.
Project Leader: Otho D. May, Jr.
3.
Report of Progress:
INTRODUCTION The major objective of fisheries work in South Carolina is to improve sport fishing in the public waters of the State. This project, and this segment of the project, is only a part of the overall fit.heries plan.
This project is concerned with the investigations of several aspects of the fish populations in Lake irdood and Lake Hartwell and with finding a feasible mean, of rearing sti1 ped bass larvae to fit.mrling size before stock-ing them in lakes already containing established fish populations. During this segment, population studies and creel censusing were continued on the project lakes.. The walleye stocking and evaluation program was continued in Lake Green-wood and Lake Murray. An age-growth study of the white bass in Lake Greenwood j
1 was made and efforts were continued to determine the extent of survival of striped bass fry stocked in the lakes.
4 Progress of the studies conducted this segment is as follows:
p JOB I POPULATION STUDIES IN RESERVOIRS The purpose of this job is to keep abreast of changes which have or which may be occurring in the fish populations of Lakes Greenwood and Hartwell. Work l
f 7 912160 C 3R
1 plans sp:cified six studies on cc:h cf th2co 1ckoo during tha period August 1 -
September 15; however, difficulty encountered in obtaining rotenone caused the delay of the studies until October 10. Due to this difficulty in obtaining rotenone, the prescribed number of studies were not conducted. Only one study was conducted on each lake,and wnile the surface area was increased from that 4
set forth in the job outline as the
-4==
and minimum size for a study area, e
the total surface area sampled was less than the total minimum area prescribed for each lake in the job outline.
The 1966 studies were the first fish population studies conducted in the State in which a block-off net was employed. It should be pointed out that the 1966 studies vary from previous studies in that " pick-up" and processing was through the third day following the initial " kill".
Prior to the studies, a' suitable area was selected on each lake and the eurface ar"a and average depth of each was determined.
e block-off net was set in place, the evening of the day before the study was scheduled. The pisc-icide used.: n the studies was emulsified rotenone, "Nox-Fish", at the rate of 0.75 to 1.29 ppm. A malfunction of the gasoline driven pump used for dispersing tha rotenono necessiated the use of a Venturi Tube attachment on the outboard metor for dispersing the toxicant. Buckets were used t9 treat the littoral zone.
When fish began surfacing, they were collected and carried to a " sorting" table for processing. The recovered fish were separated as to specica and each species was further separated to one-inch size groups--the h inch mark being the dividing line between the size groups. The number of individuals in each size group was determined anc' the entire group was weighed. This routine was followed through the third dar except, following the first day only those size
,W groups notareprecented the first day in sufficient numbers for good av:. age f
weights were weighed.
The 1%6 studies yielded -15 and 17 species of fish from the respective
- 1 l
lakas--excluding miscallansous minnows. Included in th] group list.d cs misc-ellaneous minnows were representatives of the following genera: I4bidesthes, Etheost cra, Gambunia, Notropia, Hybopsis, etc. The common and scientific name of each species mentioned in this mport are listed in Tablel.
The following are the results of the 1966 studiess
.~
IAKE GREENWOOD:
One area was sampled in Lake Greenwood during 1966--October 10 through 12.
The area saepled had a surface area of 2.0 acres and had an average depth of h.0 fect--maximum depth in the area was 26 feet. The sample area was located approx 2mately two-thirds the distance up the lake from the dam, at the junction of the Saluda and Reedy Rivers.
The 1966 study yielded 17 species of fish--excluding miscellaneous minnows.
The predominant species, based on total weight, in desending order of abundance were: gizzard shad (73.89 percent), bluegill (9.57 percent),pumpkinseed (h.60 percent), largemouth bass (3.53 percent), yellow perch (2.78 percent), carp (2.05 percent) and white catfish (1.26 percent'. These seven species made up 97.63 percent of the total weight of fish recovered. Eight other species plus miscellaneous minnows made up the remaining 2 32 percent of the total weight of fish recovered.
E values and tot 11 weight contributed by the fingerlings, intermediates and adults o! the var..ous species taken in the study are tabulated in Table 2.
Length-frequi ncy distribution is tabulated in Table 3. Population dynamics for the year 19 1 through 1966 are tabulafed in Table h.
The 1966 population dynamics indicate the following:
F/C - Forage species to carnivorous species ratio:
1 The F/C ratio for the 1966 study was 17.5. This ratio indicates a popul-ation that is overcrowded with forage species.
Y/C - Fish of a size readily available as food for the carnivorous species: \\
Tchle 1.--A list cf tha common and ccicntific names cf the various Epociss of fishes mentioned in this report Co: c.on n ame Scientific name Walleye '.
". Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchill)
Yellow perch Perca flavescens (Mitchill) l Black crappie
".Pomoxis nigromaculatus (Le8ueur)
~
White crappie
'. Pomoxis annularis Rafinecque Largemouth bass
. '.Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede) *-
Fad *ye basa.
..Microptems coosae Hubbs and Bailey "
,Redear sunfish.
.Lepomis microlophus (Gunther)'e Bluegill.
. '_,Impomis macrochirus Rafinesque "
Orangespotted sunfish.
Lepomis humilis (Girard)'
Pumpkinseed.
Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus): '
Green sunfish
. Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque '
- Redbreast sunfish.
.Iepomis auritus (Linnaeus) h Warmouth.
. ' Chaenobryttus gutosus (Cuvier) J c Flier.
. '.'Centrarchus macropterus (Lacepede) n
...Roccus saxatilis (Walbaum) "
Striped bass.
White bass
'.'Roccus chrysops (Rafinesque).S Channel catfish.
~.Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)-.
Flat bullhead
. .Ictalurus platycephalus (Girard) "
Brown bullhead.
.'.Ictalurus nebulosus (LeSueur) a 2
.Ictalurus catus"(Linnaeus)r White catfish Golden redhorse.
. Moxostoma erythrurum (Rafinesque)~f Spotted tucker.
. *. Minytrema melanops (Rafinesque) 7 Northern hog sucker.
.k Hypentelium nigricans (LeSueur).
.:.Carpiodes carpio (Rafinesque)"-
River carpsucker Common shiner
. Notropis cornutus (Mitchill)"
Carp Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus-Chain pic'terel.
Esox niger LeSueur el Threadfin shad.
. Dorosoma petenense (Gunther) n Gizzard shad
.Dorosoma cepedianum (LeSueur):a Longnose gar
.Lepinosteus osseus (Linnaeus):
Misc. minnows
. Labidesthes, Etheostoma, Gambusia, Hyhopsis, etc. o a The Y/C value for the 1966 study was 0.9. This value, viewed alone and with no consideration of the tims it was obtained, indicates a population over-crowded with cartivorous species. 'Iheoretically, highest Y/C values will occur shortly after th3 spring spawning season and will then decline, under normal conditions, until they reach their lowest point just prior to the following spring spawning season. Considering the tins elapsed since the spring spawn, the Y/C value of the 1%6 study is considered satisfactory.
AT - Per.:entage of harvestable size fisht
-h-1 e
~
~
Table 2.--Iake Greenwood: The total pounds and the h, values contributed to the total weight of the population by the adult, intermediate and fingerling size fish of each species taken in a population sample during October, 1966 Adults Intermediate Fingerling Totals Species Pounds E value Pounds E value Pounds E value Pounds E value Yellow perch 3.78 1.10 5.69 1.66 9.h7 2.76 Black crappie 1.78 0.52 0.72 0.21 0.12 0.0h 2.62 0.77 White crappie 0.28 0.08 0.09 0.03 0.16 0.0h 0.53 0.15 Largemouth bass 7.50 2.20 3.65, 1.06 0.91 0.26 12.06 3.52 Bluegill 10.59 3 09 8.16 2.39 13.91 h.06 32.66 9.5h Orangespotted sunfish 0.h0 0.12 0.19 0.05 0.59 0.17 Pumpkinseed 9.00 2.63 6.h6 1.89 0.25 0.07 15.71 h.59 sn Green sunfish 0.3h 0.10 T
0.3h 0.10 Redbreast sunfish 0.69 0.20 0.Q3 0.01 0.72 0.21 Warmouth 0.h?
0.lh 0.15 0.Oh T
0.62 0 18 White bass 0.09 0.Q3 0.09 0.Q3 Flat bullhead 0.50 0.15 0.25 0.07 0.28 0.08 1.03 0.30 White catfish h.29 1.25 T
h.29 1.25 Golden redhorse 1.19 0.3h 0.09 0.03 1.28 0.37 Common shiner 0.06 0.02 0.09 0.03 0.06 0.02 0.21 0.07 carp 7.00 2.0h 7.00 2.0h Oizzard shad 220.88 6h.50 31.h0 9.17 252.28 73.68 Miscellaneous minnows 0.97 0.28 0.97 0.28 Totals 268.01 78.26 57.61 16.8h 16.85 h.90 3h2.h7 100.00 T - Trace
+
Table 3.--Lake Greenwood: 14ngth-frequency distribution of the various species taken in c..e population study during October, 1966 Inch Largemouth White Whit.e Black Green class bass bass crappie crappie Bluegill Pumpkinseed sunfish Redbreast 1
1 59 2
1 1
2,21h kl 2
3 h9 hh3 269 11 h
26 5
5 no 81 2
1 5
30 1
111 10h 1
6 1h 1
1 7
25 8
2 7
2 1
5 i
8 3
1 2
1 9
9 5
3 10 1
n
.22 13 2
15 17 20 1
22 Totals 13h 1
7 20 3,067 503 15 5
l
[
Table 3.-Lake Greenwoods (Continued)
Inch Yellow Flat Redhorse White Gizzard Co:nmon Misc.
class OS.S.*
Warmouth perch bullhead sucker Carp catfish shad shiner minnows 1
5 2
17 3
2 26 3
U 3
3 3
38 h
h 2
181 7
18 1
17 5
3 71 1
7 2
6 2
35 2
1 h2 1
7 11 2
7 2
273 8
1 2
ll 106 9
3 391 10 2
263 11 h
h6 12 18 13 7
15 h
17 1
20 22 1
Totals 3h 13 296 16 10 2
15 1,175 7
86
= Orangespotted sunfish
Table h. -Lake Greenwood Population dynamics, as indicated by rotenone samples, for the years 1961 through 1966 Species 1961 1962 1963 196h 1965 1966 E Values for:
Yellow perch 0.2h 0.35 0.55 0.25 2.76 Black crappie 0.Oh 11.76 1.13 0.6h 1.39 0.77 0.29 0.31 0.15 White crappie 0.01 7.13 Largemouth bass 0.37 8.82 h.10 2.79 0.7h 3.52 J, r 0.01 0.01 Redeye bass Bluegill h.88 17.h6 17.h9 8.5h 8.h0 9.5h Orangespotted sunfish 0.01 0.20 0.06 0.03 0.13 0.17 Pumpkinseed 0.9h 10.21 11.92 h.91 2.h2 h.59 0.10 Green sunfish 0.21 Redbreast sunfish 0.22 Warmouth 0.36 1.78 1,61 1.05 0.23 0.18 Striped bass White bass 0.13 3.26 1.57 0.93 0.31 0.03 as Flat bullhead 0.05 0.73 0.12 0.12 0.11 0.30 1.07 0.0h Brown bullhead White catfish 0.07 1.78 2.85 0.h5 0.86 1.25 0.25 0.10 0.37 Golden redhorse 0.1h 1.22 Common shiner 0.1h 0.01 0.06 0.03 0.07 0.20 0.61 5.39 River carpsucker 5.5h 0.82 2.0h carp 0.11 11.91 Gizzard shad 92.86 17.75 57.72 75.57 83.22 73.67 0.03 0.0h Longnose gar 0.01 0.02 0.28 Miscellaneous minnows F/c 159.9 2.3 9.6 22.h 5h.6 17.5 Y/C 91 6 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.h 0.9 Ar 6.9 69.3 82.3 77.2 85.6 78.3 AH 3.7 57.7 25.0 18.7 9.8 13.8 AN 3.2 11.6 57.3 58.5 75.8 6h.5 Ap 6.?
61.3 86.8 7h.5 85.7 78.5 79.8 33.2 11.1 19.1 13.6 16.6 17 Sp 13.5 5.5 2.1 2.2 0.7 h.9 Pounds per acre 1,037.62 102.27 219.36 327.18 679.22 171.2h
- = Less than 0.005 percent e
e
Th2 A7 valu2 fcr the 1%6 ctudy was 78.2. Thio value fall within the most desirable range for balanced populations; however, when the AT value is broken down to its component parts, the production of harvostable size fish in the lake leaves much to be desired. Fron a strictly biological standpoint, the AT value is very satisfactory.
AH - Normally harvested species:
Those species normally hatreated by the sport and/or commerical fisherinen made up only 13.8 percent of the total fish population. This indicates.that the majority of ths fish production in the lake is tied-up with species having little or no e onomic value and only limited biological value.
Au - Normally inharvested species:
This is the one factor that most nee.rly describes the condition of the fish population in the ' lake. The 1966 stu# indicates that 6h.5 percent of the entire weight of the existing fish population is made up of harvestable size fish of a species (chiefly gizzard shad) not normally harvested by either the sportsman or t.he commerical fisherman.
Ap - Adult forage fish:
The Ap value for the 1966 study was 78.5, which falls within the optimum rante-60.0 to 80.0--for balanced populations; however,it is approaching the point--above 80.0--which indicates an overcrowded carnivorous population.
Sp - Small forage fish:
The weight of the small forage fish recovered during the study made up h.9 percent of the t.tal forage fish weight. This value, also, indicates a population overcrowded with carnivorous species.
IAKE HARTWELL One area was sampled on Lake Hartwell during 1966--October U through October 15. The area sampled had a surface area of 2.5 acres and had an average depth of 8.1 feet. The area is located approximately mid-way between the dam j
-p_
and tha hrdwaters--n:cr th3 mouth cf Coneross Creek.
The study yielded 15 species of fishes--excluding miscellaneous minnows.
The predominant species, based on total weight recovered, in descendi3g, order of abundance verst bluegill (h0.53 percent), green sunfish (9.h8 percent), yellow perch (9 36 13rcent), gizzard shad (9.12 percent), largemouth bass (8.37 per-cent), threat ?in shad (7.39 percent), redbreast ounfish (h.% percent), war-mouth (h.85 p ircent), carp (1.66 percent) and flat bullhead (1.20 percent).
These ten species made up 96.92 percent of the total weight of fish recovered.
Five other species plus miscellaneous minnows (each contributing less than 1.0 percent to the total) mado up the remaining 3.08 percent of the sample.
E values and the total weight contributed by the adults, intermediates and fingerlint,s of the various species taken in the study are tabulated in Table 5.
Iength-frequency distribution is tabulated in Table 6 and the population dynam-ics for the years 1961 through 1966 are tabulated in Tsble 7.
The 1966 population dynamics indicate the following:
F/C:
The F/C ratio of the 1966 study was 9.8 and while this value does not fall within the optimum range-3.0 to 6.0--for a balanced population, it does fall within the overall range for balanced populations.
Y/C The I/C value for the 1966 study was 2.2--well within the optimum range for balanced populations.
A' T
The percentage of harvestable size fish in the population was calculated as 3h.3. This value is just inside the range for balanced populations and in-dicates an inefficient population.
AH and A 8 N
These values were 25.2 and 9.1 respectively in tiis 1966 study. Albeit the
- i Table 5.-Lake Hartwell: The total pounds and the E values ccntributed to the total weight of the population by the adult, intermediate and fingerling size fish of each species taken in a population study during October,1966 Adults Intermediates Fingerlings Totals Species Pounds E value Pounds E value Pounds E value Pounds E value 7.78 5.6h 5.13 3.72 12.91 9.36 Yellow perch Black crappie 0.12 0.09 0.06 0.Oh 0.18 0.13 Iargeinouth bass 9.35 6.79 1.h1 1.02 0.77 0.56 11.53 8.37 Bluegill 11.29 8.19 35.19 25.5h 9.37 6.80 55.85 ho.53 Puspkinseed 0.06 0.0h 0.78 0.57 T
0.8h 0.61 Green sunfish 1.97 1.h3 9.88 7.17 1.22 0.88 13.07 9.h8 g
Redbreast sunfish 5.56 h.0h 1.15 0.83 0.12 0.09 6.83 h.%
Wamouth 1.81 1.31 h.19 3.05 0.68 0.h9 6.68 h.85 Channel catfish 1.00 0.72 1.00 0.72 Flat bullhead 0.97 0.70 0.3h 0.25 0.3h 0.25 1.65 1.20 Brown bullhead 1.18 0.86 1.18 0.86
~
White catfish 0.09 0.06 0.09 0.06 Carp 1.38 1.00 0.91 0.66 2.29 1.66 Threadfin shad 10.18 7.39 10.18 7.39 Gizzani shad 12.57 9.12 12.57 9.12 Spottail shiner 0.96 0.70 0.%
0.70 Totals h7.26 3h.29 61.63 hh.73 28.92 20.98 137.81 100.00 T = Trace 4
I e
i e
g
7a 4
Table 6.--Lake Hartwell: I4ngth-frequency distribution of the various species taken in one population study during October,1966
~
s' Inch - Iargenouth Black t./umpkinseed
~-
3, 3
Gmen Yellow -
class bass crappie Bluegill Redbreast sunfish P
perch Warmouth 1
325 35 T
1 35 37 2
h 2
2,123 19 298 1
298 169 3
17 5
1,375 13 257 15 "
255-108 h
18 1
67h 22 185 17 186 88 5
h 113 h1 27 1
27 31 6
k 3h 19 s
n 7
1 1
8 h
a 8
1 9
3 10 5
11.
3 12 1
13 1
1 15 l'6 1
Totals 6h 9
h,652 118 602 35 801 h33 et t
)
.I
.?
/.'I i
Table 6.--I4ke Hartwell: (Continued) 4 r-
')
s v.
n y
x 1.
a Inch Flat Brown Channel White Gizzard Threadfin Misc.
class bullhead bullhead Carp catfish catfish shad shad minnows 1
1 2
26 2
677 h6 3
25 3
905 93 h
2 2
35 15 5
3 6
h 2
7 2
2 8
2 t9 2
3 10,
2 11 1
13 u
1 h
U 1
1 1h 2
15 1
1 16 Totals 66 2
2 1
7 25 1,619 15h
,c.
v0 y1
Table 7.--Lake Hartwell: A comparison of the population dynamics, as indicated by rotenone samples, for the years 1961 through 1966
' Species
'1961 i 1962 1%3 9.' 196h
- !'1965 1966 E Values fort wineye 0.08 0.16 0.17 Yellow perch 1.70 10.05 h.0h 2.77 2.75 9.36 B?.ack crappie 37.87 6.h7 8.72 2.50 12.95 0.13 White crappie 0.h7 0.16 2.20 1.31 L.rgemouth bass 10.07 9.86 5.19 3.77 2.28 8.37 Redeye bass 0.01 Rodear sunfish 1.68
~
B'.uegill 4'
l.00 10.88 26.ho 26.65 22.23 no.53 0 angespotted sunfish Pumpkinseed 0.63 2.hl 3.39 0.bl 0.32 0.61 Green sunfish 0.60 1.8h 2.03 3.22 2.12 9.h8 Redbreast sunfish 2.18 5.28 6.92 7.50 2.h2
'h.96 Warmouth 3.53 h.70 2.99 5.5h 5.20 h.85 F11er 0.76 0.06 0.05 0.50 0.0h White bass 0.38 0.88 0.10 0.02 Channel catfish 0.05 0.22 2.h0 0.72 Flat bullhead 3.03 0.91 0.21 1.08 0.83 1.20 Brown bullhead 9.9h 2.57 0.hp O.52 0.22 0.86 White catfish 0.28 0.18 0.06 Oolden redhorse 0.52 1.03 0.18 Spotted sucker 0.25 0.12 0.12 Northern hog sucker 0.03 0.01 Common shiner 12.58 1.h0 0.92 0.31 0.07 River carpsucker 0.9h Carp 10.lh 27.56 6.83 5.h9 10.90 1.66 Chain pickerel 0.63 h.95 3.09 0.67 0.1h Threadfin shad 0.01 2.28 7.88 2.03 7.39 Gizzard shad 5.3h 9.22 25.32 2h.77 30.61 9.12 Miscellaneous minnows n
0.09 0.19 0.16 0.70 F/C 5.3 h.6 7.6 1h.0 7.1 9.8 Y/C 2.h 0.2 13 2.9 0.8 2.2 Ar 15.1 37.8 hh.3 36.7 36.1 3h.3 AH lh.6 33.0 22.2 17.2 19.h 25.2 AN 0.5 h.8 22.1 19.5 16.7 9.1 Ap h5.3 62.0 39.5 kl.0 60.1 h8.1 Sp
, h5.7 h.2 17.5 19.2 11.7 22.5 Pounds per acta 10h.08 66.09 63.95 129.29 169.2h 55.12 l
- = Less thai 0.005 percent J ';
j qI n
4a s'
- lh -
l 4
AH valua is below th3 C0tisfactory level, the ratio cf AH to AN is satiefcst:ry.
_Apr The percentage of the total weight of the forage fisti. population composed of adult fish was 29.h. This value lies within the range for balanced populat-ions but, again, indicates an inefficient population.
Sys The SF value of the 1966 study was 22.5. This value falls within the cp-timm range for bahneed populations.
E values E values of the fingerling size fish indicate as.tisfactory reproduction of most of the species in the lake.
Conclusions and Recommendations The 1966 population study indicates that Lake Hartwell is supporting a balanced but somewhat inefficient fish population. It is my opinion that this is due, chiefly, to the low basic fertility of the lake. Being located near the head-waters of the Savannah River and having a relatively small watershed on which little farming is carried on, the lake is relatively infertile in coga-rison t o a lake ' situated further downstream and which has a much larger and more fertile vatershed. As basic nutrients accumulate in the lake, the basic fertility will gradually improve and, thus, the fish population should improve.
Present management,and management in the immediate future, of Lake liart-well should be aimed, chiefly, at converting a portion of the undesirable spec-ies in the lake into one that is desirable as a sport fish. Towards this end, I recommend that the Inke be stocked annually with the hybrid of the striped bass-white bass.
The 1966 population study on Lake Greenwood indicates, as usual, an ex-tremely large gizzard shad population. This, in itself, might be tolerable to a certain degree if co large a portion of these shad were not composed of in-l,
dividuals tco large to be utilized as food by the cveraged sized carnivorous species in the population. The F/C ratio of the lake indicates a population l
badly overcrowded with forage species; however, other population masurements indicate a population that is on the brink of being overcrowded with carnivor-cus species.
There is no doubt that the large gizzard shad in the population has a depressing effect on the population as a whole; however, their food habits are such that very little competition for food exists between them and the other forage species in the lake. Further, since the large shad are totally unavail-able as food for the carnivorous species in the lake; the lake, in a sense, could very we11 be on the brink of being overcrowdeci with carnivorous spec'ies.
There is little doubt that following the spring spawn and for that period of time until tre young shad become too large to serve as food for the average sized carnivcrous adult, the implication of the high F/C ratio is a valid ona; however, thi, factor alone cannot measure the tnie condition of the population.
Regardless of the magnitude of the F/C ratio, once the carnivorous population is forced to fall back on the other forage species as a source of food and when these species are not present in sufficient numbers to adequately aappoM the carnivorcus population; then, truly, an overcrowded condition af con:ivor-ous spacies nust exist.
To elininate a portion of this large shad population and to add to the desirable epocies in the lake, I recommend the continued, heavy stocking of striped bass in the lake. This recomendation appears to be contrackictory; however, wht:o. viewed ir respect to the average size that the striped bass will attain, the 4ddition of striped bass to the population wi'e. remove the large shad from the unavailable back to available in the food chain and, thus, give new meaning no the F/C ratio.
If we are to establish a striped bass fishery in any of our reservoirs,.
this Inka (Laka Gre nwood) 13 the one on which we thould cone:ntrate. Here we could truly perform a twofold service--establish a striped bass fishery where none now exists and demonstrate the effectiveness of the striped bass as a biological control of, no doubt, the largest gizzard shad population in the State.
JOB II CREEL CENSUS IN RESERVOIRS This is a continuing study and is designed to measure the degree of sport fishing success on Lakes Greenwood and Hartwell. The majority of this census was conducted by paid creel clerks who reside on and/or operate fishing camps on the lakes. Information collected by these creel clerks includer date of census, age and sex of the fishermen contacted, total number of fishing hours and a numerical count of the various species in the creels. The fishemen con-tacted by the creel clerks were contacted at the end of their day of fishing.
Project personnel conducted a census on each lake in addition to that conducted by the creel clerks. Information obtained from this census, in add-ition to that collected by the creel clerks, included: method and type of fishing, type of license held, time of day that fishing occurred and the num-ber and weight of the various species in the creels. The average weights for the various species obtained by project personnel were used.or calculating the total weights appearing in the Tables. Likewise, the percentage of fish-ermen employing different methods and types of fishing (those contacted by project personnel) were expanded to encompass all tha fishermen contactod.
j The 1966 creel data from Lakes Greenwood and Hartwell indicate the following:
LAKE GREENWOOD:
During 1966, 3,h73 fishermen were contacted by project personnel and by hired creel clerks. These fishermen had fished 9,339 hours0.00392 days <br />0.0942 hours <br />5.605159e-4 weeks <br />1.289895e-4 months <br /> and had caught I
( l l
l
~
13,081 fish which weigh 2d cpproximately 6,755.0 pounds. Th2 lcngth of tha cver-age fiehang trip was 2.7 hours8.101852e-5 days <br />0.00194 hours <br />1.157407e-5 weeks <br />2.6635e-6 months <br /> and the average trip produced 5.2h fish that weighed 2.9h pounds-1.9h fish weighing 0.72 pounds per hour of fishing. Age and sex c.f the fishermen contacted were as follows: male adults - 66.0 percent, male children - 8.h percent, female adults - 23.1 percent and female children -
2.5 percent.
The creel data, in respect to the individual species in the creels, indic-ate the fillowing:
Largemout bass:
Lart : mouth bass ranked fourth in both total number and total weight of fish in the creels--making up 2.6 percent of the total number and 7.5 percent of the total weight. September was the best month for taking this species and still fishermen using artifical tackle were, by far, the most successful bass fisht rmen (Table 8). Percentagewise, the numerical catch of largemouO bass decreased slightly from that of 1965-from 2.7 percent in 1%5 to 2.c percent in 1966.
White bass White bass ranked third in total number of fish in the creels and second in total weight. Percentagewise, this species showed a 3 0 percent increase in the 1966 creels frcm that of 1965. October produced the greatest numerical catches of this species and still fishermen using artifical tackle were the most successful whi.e bass fishermen.
Crappie The term " crappie" includes both the black and the white crappies. These two species, combined, were the predominant species in the creels in both number and weight-making up 6h.9 percent of the totaa number and h7.7 percent of the total weight. The 1966 orappie catch dropped approximately 5.0 percent from that of 1965. April and May produced the best crappie catches..
m..-
- =
T1ble B.--Lake Oreenwood: A comparison of the age and sex of fishermen checked during 1966--depicting the number and weight of the various species in the creels and the catch per hour by the various methods
- and types
- of fishing emplcyed All methods Method and Type A-Sh A-St A-T PL-Sh PL-St PLA-Sh PIA-St Unknown and types Male adults 198 829 139 h35 93 hh2 155 2,291 Male children h5 92 h5 h9 h8 lh 293 F: male adults h7 61 16 379 2
279
?.S 802 F; male children 21 22 h3 1
87 T tal number fisherman 290 1,003 222 906 95 770 187 3,h73 T tal hours fished 637 2,563 h12 2,797 176 2,050 70h 9,339 CATCH: NUMBER Largemouth bass 2
363 32 72 5
h7h White bass 17 1,9h3 61 7
6 3
57 2,09h Striped bass 3
3 C,rappie 177 890 53 5,h80 385 3,093 1,691 11,7h2 Bream 80 1,125 1,72h 11 318 15 3,273 Yellow perch h3 h
h7 Catfish 107 6
195 6
7h 6
39h Hm Carp h
2 6
h5 57 8
T;tal number of fish 387 h,327 1h6 7,523 385 3,h9h 1,77h h8 18,08h CATCH: WEIGHT Largemouth bass 0.5 h53.8 33.9 11.5 5.2 50h.9 White bass 16.8 2,020.7 60.h 6.9 h.6 3.0 25.1 2,137.5 Striped bass 2.6 2.6 Crappie 60.2 195.8 13.2 1,h79.6 78.8 773.2 625.7 3,226.5 Bream 16.0 2h7.5 275.8 2.0 60.h 7.5 609.2 Yellow perch 7.3 0.7 8.0 Catfish 32.1 3.0 83.8 1.5 28.9 3.0 152.3 Carp 8.0 h.0 1z.0 90.0 11h.0 Tctal weight of fish 133.6 2,920.8 107.5 1,868.9 87.6 877.5 666.5 92.6 6,755.0 Catch /hr: number 0.61 1.69 0.35 2.69 2.19 1.70 2.52 1.9h gtch/hr: weight 0.21 1.lh 0.26 0.67 0.98 0.h3 0.95 6...
Me thod*
g*
A
= Artifical tackle Sh r Shore PL
= Pole and line St a Utill PLA = Pole and line plus artifical tackle T = Trolling
Bre m:
Bream (chiefly bluegill) ranked second in total number (18.1 percent) and third in total weight (9.0 percent) in the 1966 creels. The numerical catch in-creased an approximate h.8 percent from the 1965 catch. June produced the best bream fishing and fishermen with a pole and line from the shore were the most successful bream fishermen.
Catfish:
Catfish (chiefly white catfish) ranked fifth in the creels in both number and weight. July produced the best catfishing and pole and line fishermen from the shore were most successful.
Carp and yellow percht These species contributed less than 1.0 percent to the creels--numerically, 0.3 and 0.2 percent respectively--and are considered insignificant in the creels.
Striped bass:
Striaed bass made up only a minute portion of the 1966 creels--three in-dividuals weighing 2.6 pounds--and am significant only in the sense that they represent survivors of the heavy 1%5 striped bass fry stocking in the lake.
During the first six months of 1 % 7, 1,878 fishermen were contacted on the lake. These fithermen had fished 5,833 hours0.00964 days <br />0.231 hours <br />0.00138 weeks <br />3.169565e-4 months <br /> and had caught 12,186 fish that weighed appro:dmately 3,h99.8 pounds. The length of the average fishing trip was 3.1 hours1.157407e-5 days <br />2.777778e-4 hours <br />1.653439e-6 weeks <br />3.805e-7 months <br /> and the average catch per trip was 6.5 fish weighing 1.8 pounds--2.09 fish weighing 0.59 pounds per hour of fishing (Table 9). Age and sex of the fishermen contacted were as follows: male adults - 68.0 percent, male children - 8.0 percent, female adults - 22.0 percent and female children -
2.0 percent.
The 1966 creels were made up of seven species and the data indicate the following in respect to these species..
Table 9.-Lake Grounwood: A comparison of the age and sex of fishermen checked during March through June, 1967--depicting the number and weight of the various species in the creels and the catch per hour by the various methods
- and types
- of fishing employed c
All methods Method and Type A-Sh A-St A-T PL-Sh PL-St PLA-Sh PLA-St Unknown and types Male adults 165 h96 119 83 239 175 1,277 Male children 30 h5 15 h5 15 150 F2 male adults 88 59 20 59 20 128 39 h13 Finale children 19 19 38 Tctal number fis1.ermen 283 600 15h Ih2 20 h31 2h8 1,878 T tal hours fished 6hh 2,356 556 225 h0 928 1,08h 5,833 CATCH: NUMBER Largemouth bass 15 72 15 E
15 131 White bass 185 2h1 h0 h66 Crappie 312 3,791 311 26 389 571 h,02h 9,h2h a
Bream 559 268 h70 h70 h5 1,812 g
Yellow perch 95 kB 1h3 Catfish 29 95 hk 37 205 Carp 5
5 CATCH: WEIGHT Largemouth bass 16.h 78.5 16.3 15.3 16.h 1h2.9 White bass 192.h 250.6 kl.6 h8h.6 Crappie 78.C 9h7.8 77.8 6.5 97.2 1h2.8 1,006.0 2,356.1 Bream 106.2 50.9 89.3 89.3 8.6 3hh.3 Yellow perch 21.8 11.0 32.8 Catfish 11.9 39.0 18.0 15.2 8h.1 Carp 5.0 5.0 Catch /hr: number 1.71 1.9h 0.66 2.h0 9.72 1.23 3.77
?
2.09 C tch/hr: weight 0.63
_ 0.59 0.2h 0.50 _ 2.h3 0.29 O.95 _
7 0.59
- See Table 8 footnote y
Largemouth baass Largemouth bass ranked sixth in number (1.1 percent) and fourth in weight (b.1 percent) in the creels. The 1%7 numerical catch declined 0.6 percent fron the same p(riod in 1966.
Crappie:
As ut ual, crappie were the dominant species in the 1967 creels--making up 77.3 percent of the total number and 68.3 percent of the total weight. The 1967 crappie catch increased 8.0 percent over that of the same period in 1%6.
White bass:
The.'.967 white bass catch ranked third in number (3.8 percent) and second in weight (1h.0 perce'nt). The 1%7 numerical catch of this species declined by 2.6 percent from that of the same period in 1966.
Breams Bream ranked second, numerically, in the 1967 creels and third in total weight (10.0 percent). The 1967 numerical catch of lh.9 percent was a decrease of h.8 percent from that of the same period in 1966.
Yellow perch:
This species appears to be on the increase in the lake. The numerical catch of this species during the first six months of 1966 was only 0.2 percent of the total catch. The numerical percentage of this species for the same period in 1967 has rison to 1.2 percent of the total catch.
Catfish:
The number of catfish during the first six months of 1967 was 1.7 percent of the total catch. This represents a 0.6 percent decrease from that of 1966.
Carps
~
Only five carp were observed during the first six months of 1967 and are considered as insignificant in the emels.
IAKE HART 4 ELL: !
(
The crealc of 2,60B fishermen wem checked on Laka H2rtwell during 1966 l
The fisher.nen contacted had fished 9,290 hours0.00336 days <br />0.0806 hours <br />4.794974e-4 weeks <br />1.10345e-4 months <br /> and had caught 7,312 fish weigh-ing approximately 3,367.0 pounds (Table 10). The length of the average fish-ing trip was 3.6 hours6.944444e-5 days <br />0.00167 hours <br />9.920635e-6 weeks <br />2.283e-6 months <br /> and the average catch per trip was 2.8 fish weighing 1.3 pounds--an average catch of 0.79 fish weighing 0.36 pounds per hour of fishing.
Age and se: of the fishermen contacted were as follows: male adults - 80.7 per-cent, male children - 7.7 percent, female adults - 9.9 percent and female chil-dren - 1.7 percent.
Nine species and/or groups of fishes were observed in the 1966 creels and the data indicate the following in respect to these fishest Largemouth bass:
Largemouth r. inked second both numerically and in total weight in the 1966 creels--S.2 percent of the total number and 29.3 percent of the total weight.
Numerically, the percentage of this species in the creels remained about the same in 1965 and ' 966--8.2 percent in 1966 as compared to 8.1 percent in 1%5.
April was the bes', month frr bass fishing and tht 3 3 fishermen using artifical tackle while stil. fishing were the most successful.
White bass:
This species contributed only 0.7 percent to the total number of fish in the creels. The percentage of this species in the creels has remained virtually tne same since 1963--0.6 percent in 1963, 0.5 percent in 1%h, 0.5 percent in 1965 and 0 7 percent in 1%6. September and October wsre the best white bass producing months.
Crappies Crappie, black and white combined, were the dominant species in the creels--
l 80.1 percent of the total number and 63.5 percent of the total weight. The per-centage of crappie in the 1966 creels was slightly greater than in 1965 (78.h percent). \\pril and may were v.he best crappie months and those fishermen still.
Table 10.--Lake Itrtuell: A comparison of the age and sex of fishermen checked during 1965-depicting the number and weight of the various species in the creels and the catch per hoar by the various methods
- and types
- of fishing employed All methods Method and Type A-Sh A-St A-T PL-Sh PL-St PIA-Sh PLA-St Unknown and types Male adults 295 902 16h 8h 110 201 3h8 2,10h Male children 13 82 13 19 7
6 62 202 Female adults 58 h9 13 27 6
89 15 257 Female children 6
6 16 8
9 h5 Total number fishermen 372 1,039 190 130 139 30h h3h 2,608 Total hours fished 91h 3,3h9 652 h6h h58 1,128 2,325 9,290 CATCH: NUMBER Largemouth bass 19 h16 69 20 9
63 596 White bass 51 51 Walleye 5
2 7
Pickerel 2
2 crappie 17h 2,$h 262 337 1,3h5 591 551 5,85h e
Bream lh 159 7
65 257 76 578 Yellow perch 5
h 2
11 Catfish 23 h5 h5 h1 15h Carp 5
5 27 6
16 59 Tetal number of fish 207 3,192 3h3 LO7 t,370 936 Th5 112 7,312 CATCH: WEIGHT Largemouth bass 28.5 736.3 113.8 12.h 13.5 83.2 987.7 White bass waney.
10.6 h.h 15.0 P.ickerel crappie 62.6 856.0 138.9 87.6 511.1 271.9 209.h 2,137.5 Bream 5.3 35.0 2.2 10.h 28.3 1h.h 95.6 Yellow perch 0.6 0.8 03 1.7 i
Catfish h.h 19.8 18.0 15.2 57.h carp 10.0 5.6 30.0 7.1 19.5 72.2 Catch /hr number O.23 o 95 0.53 C.00
.n 0.32 0.32 O.79 fatch/hrt weight 0.10 0.h9 0.h1 0.23 1.16 0.33 0.1h O.36 O
See Table 8 footnote
- insufficient data
fiching with crtifical tackle wem the mo;t succer:ful crappio fithsraen, Bream:
The term " bream" includes all the so-called "panfishes" common to the lake except the yellow perch. Bream ranked third in number (7.9 percent) and weight (2.8 percent) in the 1%6 creels. The numerical catch decreased some 1.1 per-cent from that of the previous year. The month of August produced the t,est bream fishing and those fishermen using a combination of pole and line and l
artifical tackle from the shore were the most successful bream fishermen.
Catfish:
Catfish (chiefly white catfish) inemased in number, percentagewise, in the creels in 1966 (2.1 percent) from that of 1%5 (l.h percent). The weight of the 1966 catfish catch made up 1.8 percent of the total catch. March was the best month for catfish fishing and they were taken more readily by those fish-ermen using a combination of tackla from the shore.
Carp:
Carp contributed 0.7 percent to the total number of fish in the 1%6 creels and 2.1 percent to the total weight. May produced the best carp fishing and still fishing with artifical tackle was most productive.
Walleyes Walleye contributed only seven fish to the overall catch in 1966 and these seven fish made up 0.h percent of the total weight. This species is probably more abund. int in the lake than is indicated by its presence in the creels. This is a new saecies to the area and fishermen have not yet become familar with its habits or the correct techniques for catching it. This, in 147 opinion, accounts for the relative few showing up in the creels.
During. the first six months of 1967,1,h23 fishermen were contacted by census peraounel on the lake. These fishermen had fished 5,36h hours and had caught h,768 fish that weighed an approximate 2,593.,7 pounds (Table 11). The.
Table 11.--Lake Hartwell A comparison of the age and sex of fishermen checked during the first six month of 1967--depicting the number and weight of the various species in the creels and the catch by the various methods
- and types *of fishing employed All methods Method and Type A-Sh A-St A-T PLA-Sh PLA-St Unknown and types Male adults 182 580 u6 50 232 1,160 Male children 13 3B 26 26 26 129 Female adults 35 53 18 106 Female children 9
11 1
3 h
28 Total number fisherinen 239 682 161 79 262 1,h23 Total hours fished 6hl 2,516 h75 166 1,566 5,36h CATCHr NUMBER Largemouth bass 220 28 227 h75 White bass 21 11 33 2
8 75 Walleye 1
5 2
8 Crappie h76 396 hO h86 2,h08 3,806 e
Bream 22 352 22 396 e
9 Catfish h6 23 69 Carp 39 39 Total number of fish 565 1,003 106 h88 2,667 h8 h,877 CATCHr WEIGIT Largemouth bass 281.6 35.8 290.6 608.0 White bass 18.-
9.6 29.6 1.7 7.0 66.2 Waneye 1.h 6.8 2.7 10.9 Crappie 21h.2 178.2 18.0 218.7 1,083.6 1,712.7 Bream 5.3 8h.5 5.h 95.2 Yellow perch 1.7 1.7 Catfish h0.0 20.0 60.0 Carp 39.0 39.0 Catch /hrt number 0.88 0.h0 0.22 2.9h 1.70 0.91 i
C9 eh A '
~4 f t 0.63 0.23 0.19 1.33 0.89 0.h8 t
o See Table 8 footnote o*
Insufficient data i
1 l
e e
y
evarage lcngth of c 1%7 fishing trip was 3.8 hours9.259259e-5 days <br />0.00222 hours <br />1.322751e-5 weeks <br />3.044e-6 months <br /> cnd the trip producId an average of 3.h fish weighing 1.8 pounds--0.91 fish weighing 0.h8 pounds per hour of fishing. Age and sex of the fishermen contacted were as follows: male adults - 31.5 percent, male children - 9.1 percent, female adults - 7.h per-cent and female children - 2.0 percent.
The data indicate the following in respect to the individual species in the creels.
Largemouth bass:
Larg;emouth bass ranked second in total number (9.2 percent) and total weight (23.h percent) in the crwels. Numerically, the 1967 percentage of this species increased 0.5 percent over that of 1%6 White bass:
This species made up 1.5 percent of the total number of fish in the creels and 2.6 percent of the total weight in 1%7. The 1967 white bass catch increas-ed, numerically,1.2 percent over that of 1966.
Walleve The numerical catch of walleye increased f rom 0.1 percent of the total catch in 1966 to 0.2 percent in 1967.
Crappie:
These species continue to dominant the creels--78.0 percent of the total number and 66.0 percent of the total weight. The 1%7 numerical catch of crap-pie decreased 6.6 percent from that of 1966.
Bream:
Bream showed a substantial numerical increase, percentagewise, in the 1967 1
catch over that of 1966--B.1 percent as compared to 2.8 percent. Bream ranked
~
i third in both number and weight (3.7 percent) in the 1%7 creels.
l Yellow perch:
This species contributed only 0.2 percent to the total catch in each 1966 9 y
cnd 1967. The catch cf this specios 10 conJidered as insignificant ct this l
i time.
i Catfish:
Catfish, chiefly white catfish, made up 1.lt percent of the total number of fish in the creels and 2 3 percent of the total weight. The 1%7 numerical catch decreased by 0.6 percent from that of 1966.
Carp:
Carp made up only 0.8 percent of the total catch in each 1966 and 1%7.
This species is insignificant in the creels at this time.
Conclusions and Recommendations When we speak of the fishing success in a particular body of water, we nake reference to the total catch per unit of effort expended fishing. Since the catch is made up of two distinct variables--the number of fish caught and the weight of the fish caught--how can we compare fishing success on two or more bodies of water? Further, since there are two basic groups of fishermen--
those vhose primary interest is in the number of fish caught per unit of effort and these whose primary interest is concerned with the air.e or weight of fish caught per unit of effort--who but the individual fisherman can say which gives the highest degree of fishing success--the number or the size of the fish caught per unit of effort? How can we exptssa fishing success on a body of water, in the light of these two variables, so that it will have a basic mean-ing to all?
If we use the number of fish and the weight of fish caught per hour as a means of expressing fishing success, we can go a step further and set up an artifical fishing success index that will reflect both variables in one value and, this, give a basis for comparing fishing success in respect to these two variables. By using the calculated values for the number and weight of fish caught per hour, by disregarding to what these vlues refer and by giving i '
.r.
tbesa numeric 21 valuts equal weight; w can set up an crtifical fishing sucens ir dex simply by adding the two values together. Under this method, an index vtlue of 2.0 could represent a catch of one fish weighing one pound per hour, a catch of 0.5 fish weighing 1.5 pounde per hour or any combination of the two variables totaling 2.0. In respect to number and weight of fish caught per hour, it follows that the larger the index number, the greater the fianing suCCcSS.
This is not the ideal index for measuring fishing success in relation to both number anc. weight of fish caught per hour of fishing; however, since we are concernec. sith only hook and line fishing and with fish of a size that is satisfactory to the sport fisherman for harvesting, I beleive that this index will adequately compare the fishing success on the various lakes and for diff-erent ye tra.
Usiig the index described above for comparative purposes, fishing success in Lake 1reenwood during 1%6 was below that of 1965--2.97 in 1%5 as compared to 2.66 in 1966. Lake Greenwood yielded fewer fish per hour of fishing in 1966 (1.9h per hour) than in 1965 (2.26 per hour); however, the weight of fish caught per hour remained virtually the same for the two years-0.71 in 1%5 and 0.72 in 1966.
The same trend is noted in the degree of fishing success in Lake Hartwell.
Overall fishing success declined from 130 in 1965 to 1.15 in 1%6. The fish-ing success index number, also, indicates that fishing was better during the first six months of 1567 (1.39) than during the same period in 1966 (1.2h).
Population study data and creel data for the past several years have in-l dicated that those species commonly referred to as " bream" could easily and without harm to the population, support many times the fishing pressure that they now receive. The data also indicate that yellow perch are becoming more
(
numerous in the lakes each year, and since they seldom reach a desirable size.
in thio portion cf their range, they cre considexd by mo2t fish 2rmen es a
" trash" fish and a nuisance in the lakes. An increased harvest of these species,
" bream" and yellow perch would be benefical to the lakes. I recommend that the creel limits be removed from these species or, at least, be made nors liberal.
1 Since 1965, pole and line fisherman and/or fishermen using a pole and line in combination with other tackle have harvested 71.8 percent of the total number of fish and 59.9 percent of the total weight of fish taken from Lake Green-wood. In Lake Hartwell, during the same period, the catch of the pole and line fishcrmen and/or fishermen using pole and line in addition to other tackle made up h7.0 percent of the total number and h2.3 percent of the total weight of the fishes removed by sport fishermen from the lake. The remainder of the catch in each lake was made by fishermen using only artifical tackle.
When t'.a census was set up years ago, artifical tackle was defined as any type of manufactured tackle--artifical bait and/or manufactured rods and reels.
It did not take into account that much of this tackle can be used in the same manne and with the same type of bait as can the common pole and line be used.
The data would, perhaps, have more meaning had the catch been based on type of bait used--natural or artifical--rather than on type of tackle used. Natural bait is, most commonly, associated with pole and line fishing or with fishing
- .n such a tranner that the bait is placed on a hook, cast or dropped into the water and rllowed to remain relatively stationary uritil the fish comes along
- nd t ikes the bait. Articical bait depends on movement to be effective and, thus, requires tle use of a mechanical contrivance (rod and reel) to effect-ively perform it:
function. This does not imply that artifical bait is not and e 'nnot be usei with a pole and line or that natural bait is not and cannot be used with arti 'ical tac':le--it only points out the chief use of each device.
If we look at the species making up the creels and classify them as to the most common type of bait used for taking them, we find that of the total :
e
=
number of fich tak:n by spcrt fish 2rmen on Laka Greenwood sinca 1965, 89.2 percent of the total were those usually and almost exclusively taken by nat-ural bait. Likewise, this same group of fishes made up 72.3 percent o'f the total weight of the catch since 1965. Further, this same trend is evident for so far back a0 creel records are available.
Since natural bait can be used equally well with artifical tackle as with
- ~
a pole and line, the artifical tackle fisherman could become a pole and line fisherman or a pole and line fisherman could become an artifi:a1 tackle fisher-man without appreciably altering the total catch. Further, since the pole and line fisherman is required to hold only a lake permit, whereas the artifical tackle fisherman must hold--in addition to a lake permit-an anglers license or in lieu of a lake permit and anglers license, a resident combination lic-ense, it is theoretically possible for approximately 70 - 90 percent of the fish harvested from the lake to be harvested by fishermen paying a license fee of only approximate 37 one-third that charged the artifical tackle fisherman.
To make this situation more untenable, pole and line fishermen are not required to have any license to fish in most of the streams of the State.
I rt commend that the licensing system be changed so ' hat all fishermen, except children and the aged, will be required to hold the same license when fishing 11 any of the State's public waters.
I rerommend that the use of " jugs" be made legal for taking comunerical species (carp, suckers, catfish,etc.) from the lakes. Population studies indic-ate that these species are abundant in the lakes; however, they contribute only a minor portion to the sport fisherman's creel. In addition to more effectively utilization of this resourse, " jugging" will add many hours of recreational use to the lakes.
t JOB IV DETERMINING ' HIE SURVIVAL OF STRIPED BASS This is a continuing, year-to-year study to obtain information which might
- indiccta the ext nt of survivnl of striped bass larv03 ctock;d in large near-voirs already containing established fish populations. Since Lakes Orcenwood and Hartwell were the only two reservoirs, in this project, stocked with strip-ed bass larvae, survival checks were limited to these two lakes.
In the past, sur vival checks were chiefly marginal seining with a LO' by h', h inch mesh, minnow seine and an electric shocker; however, since these laker, received only token stockings in 1966, the major effort was concentrated on picking up survivors of the heavy 1%5 stocking in Lake Greenwood by the use of a 100' by 6',
1 inch bar, gill net.
From mid-December,1966 through March,1%7, gill nets were set and fished 50 timss. A set consisted of setting the net and fishing it in approximately 2h hours. Some sets were made consecutively at one location; however the net was usually moved to a new location once or twice a week. When the net was set consec2tively at one location, the depth at which the net was set was usually varied from day to day. Practically all species known to inhabit the lake m re captur :d by the gill net with the exception of striped bass-no stripers were captured.
Since these lakes aceived only token stockings in 1966. only limited effort was expended to pick up survivors with the LO' by h' minnow seine. These limited checks were also negative in nopect to captured striped bass.
Creel checks revealed only three survivors of the 1965 stocking.
Conclusions and Recommendations Attempts to pick up survivors of the heavy 1%$ stocking of striped bess fry in Lake Greenwood were unsuccessful with gill nets. Survivors of the 1965 stocking were observed in the fishermen's creels and white the number observed was not impressive, they do indicate successful survival. Further, since many fishermen cannot readfly distinguish these small stripers from white bass, it is quite possible that they were present in the creels in gmater numbers than.
was indicated by the creel c;nsus.
t Survival checks should be continued until the different types of stock-1 ings, fry and fingerlings-striped bass and hybrids-are fully ev lueted.
JOB V DETERMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF REARING STRIPED BASS FRI TO FINGERLING SIZE BEFORE STOCKING The objective of this study is to determine if it is feasible to rear striped bass fry to fingerling size before stocking them in large reservoirs already containing established fish populations. This was the fifth year in a continuing study concerned with this problem.
As in previous years, the facilities of one of the State's warm-water fish httcheries, Newberry, were utilised for the study. Five ponds, having a combined surface area of 3.02 acres and varying in size from 0.39 to 0.85 acres, were devoted to the study. During January, the rearing ponds were drain-ed and treated with rotenone to eradicate all fish. The ponds were refilled during February--water entering the ponds through a fine gravel filter--and fertilization was started on March 20. The fertilization program consisted of only one application of cettouseed mal (100 pounds per surface acre) during the entire study. Regular pond fertiliser was not used so as to not build up a heavy phytoplar kton " bloom". The one application of cottonseed meal, along with the organi: matter already present in the ponds, was sufficient to main-l tain a good zooplankton pcpulation in the rearing ponds throughout the study.
Striped bass fry were obtained from the Moncks Corner Hatchery on April 10 and were stocked in the rearing ponds. The fry were all from the same par-ents, were approximately five days old when stocked and were stocked in the ponds at the rate of 50,000 per acre. The fry were shipped to the hatchery in plastic bags containing water (pH of 0.5) and pure oxygen. The pH of the water in the rearing ponds at the time of stocking was 6.8 Prior studies have indicated that death of the fry might possibly result l y
if th27 undergo a cudden change in pH. To reduca this possibility, the pH in the bags was lowered, over a period of approximately two hours, to near that of the rearing ponds. This was accomplished by punching a small hole in the top and the bottom of the bags. The punctured bags wen floated on the surface of the rearing ponds and allowed to slowly fill with water and sink. 'Ihe fry wem not released from the bags until the bag had completely filled with water and sank.
The ability of the fry to withstand a sudden change in pH of this magnit-ude was checked by dumping approximately 5,000 fry directly into a vat contain-ing water of pH 6.8. No immediate death or distress of the fry was observed; however, within ten days, all the fry in the vat were dead. This, in itself, does not prove that a sudden change in pH will kill the fry; however, it sug-gests an area for further investigation.
The feeding exp triment was designed to check supplemental feeding against natural food in the ponds and to check the results obtained by feeding diff-erent amounts of supplemental food in different ponds. Due to limited facilities avetilabis for the experiment, it was decided that the program outlined was not feasible ; therefore, all ponds received supplemental food. Each pond received the same amount of food daily; however, since the ponds varied in size, each pond (except 2 and 3 which am the same size) was fed at different rates per acre (Table 12).
The following ace indicated in respect to the results of the individual ponds:
Pond No. 1:
Thiu pond was stocked with h2,500 (hatchery estimate) striped Lass fry.
The pond was drained 51 days after stocking, when the fish were 56 days old, and h,h91 striped bass fingerlings, ranging in size from 1.50 to 2.00 inches, were recovered. The survival rate in this pond was indicated as 10.6 percent.
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Mortality of the fingerlings during draining was h21 fich cr 9.h pere:nt cf
. the total fingerling production.
Pond No. 2:
This pond was stocked with 28,000 striped bass fry. The pond was drained i
June 3 and no survivors were recovered. The failure in this pond cannot be explained at present.
Pond No. 3r This pond, also, was stocked with 28,000 striped bass fry. The pond was drained June 1 when the fingerlings were 57 days old and 7,681 striped bass fingerlings were recovered. The survival rate in this pond was 27.h percent.
Fingerling mortality during draining and counting was 1,28h fish or 16.7 per-cent of the total production.
Pond No. h Pond No. b was stocked with 19,500 striped bass fry. The pond was drained June 6 when the fingerlings were 62 days old and 3,853 striped bass fingerlings were recovered. The survival rate was 19.8 percent. Mortality during draining was 372 fish or 9.6 percent of the total production.
Pond No. 5:
This por d was stocked with 33,000 striped base fry. The pond was drained June 13 when the fingerlings were 69 days old and ll,9hl striped bass were recovered--a survival rate of 36.2 percent. Fingerling mortality during drain-ing was higher in this pond than in any other--3,299 fish or 27.6 percent of the pond's total production.
Conclusions and Recommendations There are still many problems concerning the rearing of striped bass fry to finCerling size before stocking them into established fish populations; e.g.,
why do we have limited success or complete failure in one pond and good to excellent success in another pond when both ponds, seemingly, have identical.
Table 12. Feeding schedule of striped bass fry in rearing ponds--depicting the actual amount (pounds) of ground fish fed per pond per day, the rate per acre per pond per day (approximate) and the survival rate obtained in each pond Pond 1 Pond 2 Pond 3 Pond h Pond 5 From To Daily Rate / acre Daily Rate / acre Daily Rate / acre Daily Rate / acre Daily Rate / acre h-10 h-21 None None None None None h-22 h-28 1.00 1.25 1.00 1.75 1.00 1.75 1.00 2.50 1.00 1.50 h-29 5-5 2.00 2.50 2.00 3.50 2.00 3.50 2.00 5.00 2.00 3.00 g
t 5-6 5-12 6.00 7.00 6.00 10.00 6.00 10.00 6.00 15.00 6.00 9.00 5-13 5-19 8.00 9.50 8.00 1h.00 8.00 1h.00 8.00 20.00 8.00 12.00 5-20 end 10.00 12.00 10.00 18.00 10.00 18.00 10.00 25.00 10.00 15.00 Survival rate 10.6 0.00 27.h 19.8 36.2
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physical end chemical charccteristics? What specific fcct:r or factors cause these failures or, for that matter, the successes? I feel that we are just as hard pressed to explain the successes as we are to explain the failures.
Be this as it be, success is occurring frequently enough for us to now assume that it is feasible to rear striped bass fry to fingerling sine beform stocking them in large reservoirs. The big problem facing us at this time is the production of quantities of these fingerlings.
We can look at the problem of producing large numbers of fingerlings from two points of logier (1) the number of fry we can stock per acre for maximum survival of the fry, and (2) the marimim number of fingerlings we can produce per acre of rearing pond regardless of the stocking rate. We need ann era to both of these questions before we can fully evaluate one approach against the other. If maximum fry survival will yield 50,000 fingerlings per aeru of rear-ing pond, would it be more feasible to follow this line of production even though 100,000 fingerlings could be produced per acre by stocking 5 or 10 times the nunber of fry necessary for maxinaus survival and by accepting a lower sur-vival rate?
I recommend that the next step in this investigation be conducted along (1) determine the maximum stocking rate for mar 4== fry survival, these lines:
(2) determine the stocking rate for mari=im fingerling production and (3) determine which of these approaches are more feasible from the standpoint of attaining out ultimate goal--a striped bass fishery where none now exists.
Total fingerling production at Newberry Hatchery amounted to 27,966 in 1967. Of this total, 5,376 were lost during harvesting. A small portion of this loss can be attributed to handling in the process of " hand counting"; how-ever, the major portion of the loss was due to mud from the pond bottom wash-ing into the catch basin and causing " mud sickness" of the fingerlings. I recommend that the ponds be renovated so that excess mud will not be drawn.
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into the entch bacin when the pond io drained. I, also, recosumend that as many of the fingerlings as is possible, be harvested by seining before ' draining.
JOB I COMPILING, ANALIZING AND REPORTING FINDINOS No report required under this job.
JOB II WALLEIE STOCKING AND EVALUATION PROGRAM The long-range objective of this program is to create a self-sustaining walleye fishery in Lake Greenwood and Lake Murray (not included in this project) and in the event a self-sustaining population cannot be established, to deter-mine the feasibility of maintaining a limited walleye fishery through a contin-ious stocking program.
This was the second year in which Lake Greenwood was stocked with walleye fry--500,000 were stocked in 1966 and 500,000 were stocked in 1%7. This year was the third continious year of stocking walleye fry in Lake Murray-750,000 in 1965; 850,000 in 1966 and 2,000,000 in 1%7.
At this tir 3, no walleye survivors have been observed from either lake; however, unoffical reports of walleye catches have been received from Lake Greenwooc. Efforts to pick up survivors will be continued during ensuing segments of the project--by gill nets, electric shocker and inspection of the fisherman's creel.
I recommend that this program be continued until all possibilities of establishing this species in one or both lakes have been exhausted.
JOB III AGE-OROWTH SIUDIES The objectives of this study were to determine the growth rate of the major sport species (chiefly largemouth bass, bluegill, black crappie and wtite
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crappie) of the Broad River and to determine the growth rate of the white bass of Lake Greenwood.
Due to public relations, we were not able to use the electric shocker in
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die Broad River fcr collecting coals sagles and since gill netting in the river was impractical, no scales were collected from the river. 0111 nets were used in Lake Greenwood to collect white bass scale specimens. Scales were also collected from fishermen contacted in the course of creel censusing.
Scales were collected from Bh white bass from Lake greenwood during the month of April,1967. These scalen were " aged" by the standard scale " reading" methods (Eberbach projector) and calculated lengths at each annulus were obtain-ed by using the Direct Porportion Method. The scales were collected from fish that ranged from 7.2 inches to 16.3 inches in length and these fishes ' included four year classes (Table 13). The fish ranged in weight from 0.12 pounds to 2.00 pounds.
Table 13. Four year growth history of 8h white bass from Lake Greenwood--
expressed as average calculated lengths (inches) attained by each year class Average calculated lengths at each annulus 1
2 3
h Year Class C.L.
No.
C.L.
No.
C.L.
No.
C.L.
No.
f l
1966 I
7 32 28 1965 II 7.27 20 12.16 20 196h III 6.37 32 12.68 32 1h.h9 32 1963 IV 8.10 h
12.65 h
1h.85 h
15.55 h
Grand average l
calculated length 6.98 12.h9 1h.53 15.55
't Orand average i
annual inerement of growth 6.98 5.51 2.0h 1.02 i
To t,al number
_ fish 8h 56 36 h
1 of 1
The white bass of Lake Greenwood exhibited an unusally unifom growth rete--for the year class I through year class IV. Greatest growth occurred l
during the first year of life and was progressively'less each folleving year. j l
8 l l
The calcul:ted langth fer ye r classen I through IV wen: 6.98 innhez,12.h9 inches, lb.53 inches and 15.55 inches. Annual inonnent of growth for the four year classes were 6.98 inches, 5.51 inches, 2.0h inches and 1.02 inches.
JOB IIII A SURVEY OF EXISTING CONDITIONS ON THE BROAD RIVER WHICH MIGIT EFFECT SPORT FISHING SUCCESS This job was designed to determine the species coposition and the extent of natural re;,rMuction in the Broad River through the use of an electric shocker, to make monthly qualitative and quantatative study of the bottom fauna of the river and to catalog possible sources of pollution for aference in determining the cause of future fish " kills" on the river.
Due to reasons already mentioned, an estimate of the fish population with the electric shocker was not made. Possible sources of pollution, those within this District, were sought out and moorded; however, since much of this river ststen lies within another District and due to the complexity of the river system, this list is not complete. A complete list of the sources of pollut-ion entering the river are, however, on file with the State Water Pollution Control Board and are available if needed.
Samples of the bottom fauna were collected monthly at thne stations on the Broad River, and at one station on each the Pacolet, Tyger and Enoree Rivers.
Sampler were taken with an Ekman dredge and organisms collected are reported as number of organisms per square foot of river bottom (Table lh).
Identification of the bottom organisms was not carried below that of Fanuly except when the organism was nadily identifiable.
Conclusions and Recommendations Members of the Family Naididae wen, by far, the predominant botton organisms--75.9 percent of the total organisms conected. Chironomus larvae were second in abundance followed by: Tipulidae, Ephemeridae, Tubificidae and the other Families making up the remainder of the sample.
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Table lh. Bottom organisms collected per square foot of river bottom from the l
Broad, Pacolet, Tyger and Enoree Rivers with an Elaman Dredge. Samples were collected from July,1966 through June 1967 4
O.k J
4 4
g y
4 4
2 3
E e.
c n
o U
u 4
O.
O D.
t O.
r4 4
an ar4 c.
o c
o e4 44 et e4 0
8 h
S E
.o
.c 0
.c m
ee o
m a
o o
u N
Total No.
D c
C.
4 t
Month O
S H
N a.
E
.c o
o
(=2 H
o n.
organisms Locatione Broad River above Lockhart July 12 12 Aug.
72 h
h 80 Sept.
20 20 Oct.
12 12 Nov.
16 16 Dec.
20 20 Jan.
Fe b.
h h
Ms.rch 16 16 April May June Location: Broad River below mouth of Pacolet River July 8
h 12 Aug.
16 h
20 Sept.
16 8
2h Oct.
8 8
Nov.
h 8
h 16 Dec.
8 h
12 Jan.
h h~
Feb.
12 12 March 8
8 April h
h 8
16 May June h
h l
l
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l
=
w
-w
l i
i i
Table lb. (Continued) eeo.
O i
o.
e i
e e
e i
o e
4 e
i e
e o.
e e
t i
a e
w a
w a
e w
e e
4 4
o 6
u 3
E e
,4 e
4 c
w e
3 o
e u
8.
3 s.
o 8'
8' l
o e
w w
e w
o, c
%A
=r4 n-4 e'r4 B
R O
.t*
O.
.c
,A o
e e
g E-e
.a e
o s
u Sa Month E
S M
g g,
g y
y y
)
Total No.
j H
o ha
.-a H
u a.
organisms Locatione Broad River at S.C. Highway 3h bridge 1
July 2h 2h Aug.
2h h
28 Sept.
20 12 h
h h0 i
Oct.
h 8
h 16 i
Nov.
36 20 56 Dec.
16 16 32 i
Jan.
32 Feb.
h h
March 20 20 h
April day n
June t
Location: Pacolat River July 12 16 28 Aug.
20 20 Sept.
32 8
ho Oct.
hh h
h3 Nov.
20 20 Dec.
36 36 Jan.
68 h
72 Feo.
8 8
March 20 20 h
h 16 2h April May June 8
h 12 Location: Tyger River July 20 20 Au,;.
h 8
12 Sept.
h6 h6 8
8 Oct.
Nov.
56 56 Dec.
20 20 Jan.
h h
h h
16 Feb.
20 20 March 8
8 April 8
8 May h
h June 12 12 l
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=--s.
Tabla lb. (Continued) j n
e 4
4 5
G 4
d 2
l j
e Y
I 4
E t
8 o
c.
3 d
M S
8 S
3
'8 I
3.
h r.E i
y
}
Total No.
Month 4
d c3 0
d 0'
.5 o,
n.
organisms i
Locations Enoree River July h
8 12 Sept.
12 h
h h
2h Oct.
h h
Nov.
12 12 Dec.
16 16 J an.
20 20 March 8
8 April 8
8 h
h May June h
h Sinct we were unable to make an estimate of the fish population in the Bread Rivt r, no conclusions can be drawn as to possible effects pollution in I
the river might have on the fish population.
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I recommend that this study, population estimate, be rescheduled and coaleted as soon as practical.
Sutmitted by:
Approved by:
SOUIH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES DEPT., DIVISON OF GAME tho D. May, Jr. pjectLeader b
ector Reviewed byr 0- fa~c.7JAl.
C4 Fisheries
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