the catch. Growth analysis suggests that these 2-year-old white crappies 

 were^ like the 2-year-old black crappies, large enough to be taken during 

 tne earlier netting periods, Beca\ise they were not taken, it appears 

 that the 2-year-old white crappies were elsewhere during the spawning of 

 the older fish and joined the older fish only after spawning was completed, 

 Gonads of the 2-year-old white crappies that were examined were found to 

 be undeveloped so it is probable that most of these fish were not capable 

 of spawning during the I9U8 season. 



SUMMARY OF WHITE GRAPPIE CATCH TRENDS 



1. The means of white crappie trap net catches for the nine netting 

 periods fluctuated betwen 1.9 and U.O fish per net lift and b etw«en 1.0 

 and 2.9 pounds of fish per net lift. There was (1) a drop during the 

 first of June, (2) a rise during the last of Julyj (3) a gradual decline 

 until mid-September, ani (i^) a small rise in the catch during the last 

 half of September. 



2. The decline in catch rate during the first of June is thought to 

 have been caused by a decrease in activity rate of the white crappie. This 

 decrease in activity rate may, in turn, have been related to (i) stabili- 

 zation of water levels after spring high water, (2) water temperatures 

 rising to above 70 degrees F,, or (3) both of these factors, 



3. The rise in catch during July was caused by the entrance into 

 the catch of the I9U6 year class after the spawning activities of older 

 fish ceased. Recruitment of this I9U6 year class dioring July and of the 

 I9I47 year class during August, held up the catch rate during August and 

 September, 



ho The slight increase in catch rate during the latter half of 

 September is thought to have been caused by the combined effects of an 

 increased rate of activity, and previous recruitment. 



BLUEGILL CATCH TRENDS 



During the nine netting periods hshhQ bluegills weighing 1,218 

 pounds were caught in trapnets. Seasonal catch fluctuations can be judged 

 from Table 7 which shows the mean catch per net lift for each of the nine 

 netting periods, Bluegill catch rate dropped significantly during the 

 first part of June, remained at a low level until J-'.ily, ar.d rose during 

 J-oly, August and September, During the last netting period (September 

 16-25) the bluegill catch was about UO times what it had been d'oring 

 Period II (May 31-June 9). 



2u 



