152 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



For the first three years little doubt exists as to the verity of these age determi- 

 nations by the scale method, but it may be said that after the third winter some errors 

 may occur in the age determinations, due both to the extreme difficulty in examining 

 the large scales and to the personal judgment of the writer in counting the annual 

 breaks or "checks" in the annuli of the scales. It would appear, however, on the 

 basis of both scale and length-frequency studies, that the redfish reach a total length 

 of about 80 to 85 centimeters (31.5 to 33.2 inches) by the end of the fourth year or 

 the fifth winter of life. 



SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION AND MOVEMENTS 



The larval and young redfish, after entering the bays and lagoons from the Gulf 

 spawning grounds, tend to distribute themselves rapidly. While assisted in the early 

 stages of distribution mainly by the tidal currents, the young fish soon is able to use 

 its own power of locomotion to take it to places of safety. By October 27, 1926, 

 several small redfish 25 millimeters long (0.6 inch) were taken along the shores of 

 Corpus Christi Bay near the entrance into Oso Bay, while a collection of young 

 15 to 29 millimeters long (under 1 inch) was secured in Shamrock Cove, a sheltered 

 indentation of Corpus Christi Bay some 12 miles or more from Corpus Christi Pass. 



The young seek the more grassy and quiet coves and lagoons during the early 

 part of life, rarely being found on bare, sandy bottom or in rough water. This 

 preference for shallow tidal flats was most noticeable in the vicinity of the passes. 

 A serious destruction of many small redfish consequently may have resulted in October, 

 1926, when an extremely low tide occurred in the vicinity of Aransas Pass, which 

 caused large areas of the shallow flats in and about Harbor Island to become dry. 

 Many small mullet and top minnows were observed in a dying or dead condition as 

 a result of being unable to reach the deeper channels when the water drained off from 

 the flats. Many young redfish known to be on such areas were either killed likewise 

 or forced to enter the channels that did not appear suited to the normal requirements 

 of the fish. 



With the coming of cold weather during the first winter, the young redfish, 

 ranging in length from 5 to 15 centimeters (2 to 5.9 inches), work into the deeper 

 bayous from the more shallow coves and flats. During the spring following hatching 

 many wander out into the Gulf of Mexico, but apparently they occur only in moderate 

 numbers along the shore lines in the surf, since none ever are caught in the shrimp 

 trawls, which operate from 1 to 10 miles offshore. In less than a year after hatching 

 young redfish may be found within the bays and lagoons, 75 miles or more from the 

 nearest pass, as collections of fish in July, 1926, from Baffin Bay (Laguna Madre) 

 indicate. The absence of young redfish less than 10 to 15 centimeters in length (3.9 

 to 5.9 inches) from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico is most striking and would indi- 

 cate that conditions in the Gulf are not suited to the early stages following hatching 

 and that all newly hatched fish come into the bays. 



After the first year most of the redfish leave for the deeper bays or Gulf during cold 

 weather. The movement of fish out into the Gulf is gradual and not noticeable to 

 any extent, but in the early spring the movement back into the bays and lagoons is 

 pronounced. This spring movement into the bays, particularly of the younger year 



