Proposed Revision of the Standard Weight (WS) Equation for Smallmouth Bass

Abstract

Weight-length data from 50 populations of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu (N = 6,731) in 19 states were used to develop a revised standard weight (W_S ) equation for smallmouth bass. The regression-line–percentile (RLP) technique was used to develop the proposed 75th-percentile W_S equation from length-weight regressions for individual smallmouth bass populations. The proposed Ws equation, log₁₀ W_S (weight, g) = –5.329 + 3.200 log₁₀ L(total length, mm), is valid for fish 150 mm long and longer. The English-unit equivalent, log₁₀ W_S (lb) = –3.491 + 3.200 log₁₀ L(total length, in), is valid for fish 6 in long and longer.