Statute Miles 



Figure 1. — Western Lake Erie where gizzard shad were collected in 1952-55. 



resulted from the reduced nutriment. The earlier 

 annulus formation and spawning are undoubtedly 

 related to the earlier warming of the shallow 

 waters in the bay. 



The gizzard shad caught in the streams were 

 not as deep-bodied as either the lake or the 

 Sandusky Bay fish; and they were smaller, age 

 for age, than those captured in Sandusky Bay. 

 They were thinner, more gracefully shaped indi- 

 viduals, seemingly better adapted for swimming 

 in streams. Probably the colder water and the 

 poorer food supply were responsible for their 

 slower growth. 



Methods, Dates, and Sites of Collection 



With the exception of gizzard shad from San- 

 dusky Bay or tributary streams and a few otter 

 trawl collections in the open lake, all samples were 

 captured in western Lake Erie within one-half of a 

 mile of island or mainland shores (fig. 1). 



Gizzard shad were captured in the deeper water 

 by 5-inch mesh (stretched measure) gill nets and 



standard commercial trap nets. Closer to shore, 

 in 4 to 10 feet of water, I collected them by means 

 of 4-inch mesh gill nets, experimental gill nets with 

 meshes ranging from 1 to 4 inches, dynamite, 

 rotenone, and electric shocks. In waters less than 

 4 feet deep, along the shore, I used "Common 

 Sense" seines, a push seine, bag seine, and dip net. 

 In Sandusky Bay the fishermen employed haul 

 seines. See table 1 for methods of collection for 

 each month and year and table 2 for methods of 

 collection for each locality. 



Data Recorded for Individual Fish 



All fish lengths in this paper are standard 

 lengths, in millimeters. Lengths of small fish were 

 determined with the aid of a pair of dividers. 

 Larger fish were measured on a measuring board. 

 Most of the measurements were taken shortly 

 after the fish were caught. When the sample was 

 large, some of the fish were kept temporarily (1 to 

 2 days) in 10 percent formalin. Preservation in 

 formalin for a week resulted in no perceptible 



GIZZARD SHAD IN WESTERN LAKE ERIE 



393 



