Adjustments to rearing practices should be justified with increases in production, stocking success, or angler satisfaction. Largemouth bass (<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><i></span>Mic...Adjustments to rearing practices should be justified with increases in production, stocking success, or angler satisfaction. Largemouth bass (<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><i></span>Micropterus salmoides<span style="white-space:nowrap;"></i></span>) production was assessed between hatchery ponds where fish were restricted to an invertebrate diet or received supplemental fathead minnow (<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><i></span>Pimephales promelas<span style="white-space:nowrap;"></i></span>) forage during 2015. At harvest, age-0 bass yield was 4.5 times greater and average fish length was 38 mm longer, in the pond that received fathead minnow. In 2016, a second study evaluated the timing of minnow supplementation that included earlier stockings of small fathead minnow (<30 mm) compared to delayed supplementation with larger (>30 mm) minnows. With earlier supplementation, bass yield was 2.3 times greater and fish averaged 14 mm longer at harvest. Bass survival was approximately 38% higher during 2015 when supplementation occurred and 25% higher during 2016 when minnow supplementation began earlier. Our findings show invertebrate forage was probably limiting bass production in hatchery ponds and supplementing with appropriately-sized fathead minnows increased age-0, largemouth bass production.展开更多
文摘Adjustments to rearing practices should be justified with increases in production, stocking success, or angler satisfaction. Largemouth bass (<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><i></span>Micropterus salmoides<span style="white-space:nowrap;"></i></span>) production was assessed between hatchery ponds where fish were restricted to an invertebrate diet or received supplemental fathead minnow (<span style="white-space:nowrap;"><i></span>Pimephales promelas<span style="white-space:nowrap;"></i></span>) forage during 2015. At harvest, age-0 bass yield was 4.5 times greater and average fish length was 38 mm longer, in the pond that received fathead minnow. In 2016, a second study evaluated the timing of minnow supplementation that included earlier stockings of small fathead minnow (<30 mm) compared to delayed supplementation with larger (>30 mm) minnows. With earlier supplementation, bass yield was 2.3 times greater and fish averaged 14 mm longer at harvest. Bass survival was approximately 38% higher during 2015 when supplementation occurred and 25% higher during 2016 when minnow supplementation began earlier. Our findings show invertebrate forage was probably limiting bass production in hatchery ponds and supplementing with appropriately-sized fathead minnows increased age-0, largemouth bass production.
