Stocking Contribution and Growth of Largemouth Bass Stocked at 50 and 100 mm into Backwaters of the Arkansas River

Abstract

Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides were stocked at 50 or 100 mm total length (TL) into backwater areas of Pool 4 of the Arkansas River to determine their respective contributions to the year-class. Fifty-millimeter fingerlings were stocked at 309 fish/ha in June 2003, and 100-mm fingerlings were stocked at 62 fish/ha in August 2003. In November 2003, the percentage contributions of these fish to the year-class were 13.2% and 13.8% for the 50- and 100-mm fingerlings, respectively. Contributions in May 2004 were 17.6% and 17.2% for the 50- and 100-mm fingerlings, respectively. Stocking size and sampling year did not explain significant amounts of the variability in the contribution of stocked largemouth bass to the year-class. Poststocking catch per unit effort of wild largemouth bass did not differ among stocked and reference coves. Some stocked fish moved among backwater areas. The average lengths and weights of fish increased between November 2003 and May 2004. However, the lengths and weights of the 50-mm stocked, 100-mm stocked, and wild fish were not significantly different from each other in either November 2003 or May 2004. For this riverine system, fisheries managers might expect similar contributions to a year-class from largemouth bass fingerlings of 50 mm TL stocked at 309/ha in June and those of 100 mm TL stocked at 62/ha in August.