the spring high water period, (2) water temperatures warming to above 70 

 Degrees F., or (3) both of these changes in environmental conditions. 



3. The rise in catch during July was caused by recruitment of the 

 I9U6 year class as spawning activities declined. 



It, The continued rise in catch after July resulted from effects 

 of recruitment and increased activity of the bluegills. The increased 

 activity of previously recimted bluegills had the most effect on the 

 catch. 



CATCH TRENDS FOR OTHER SPECIES 



Seasonal fluctuation in the catch of eight other species is described 

 below. These species were not taken in quantities large enough to justify 

 detailed analysis of catch fluctuations but it is felt that trends in 

 their catch during the season are worth noting. Mean c atches of these 

 species for individual netting periods do not represent large numbers of 

 fish and differences between the catch of successive netting periods may 

 represent sampling errors as often as they do actual differences in 

 abundance or activity of these species. Trends for the entire season are 

 probably more significant. 



Table 10 lists the mean catch for each of these eight species, for 

 each netting period. Each mean catch is expressed as the number and 

 pounds of fish per net lift. 



Northern Pike 



Four hundred northern pike weighing 1,279 pounds were caught in 

 trap nets during the season. The mean catch for the entire season was 

 1.2 fish and U.l pounds of fish per net lift. Mean catches for individual 

 periods fluctuated from 0.8 to 2,14 fish per lift and from 2.0 to 9.2 

 pounds of fish per lift. Northern pike catches were highest at the 

 beginning of netting; in Mayj declined during June and remained rather low 

 during the remainder of the season. 



White Bass 



One hundred and forty-five white bass weighing 121 poxinds were caught 

 in trap nets during the season. The mean catch for the entire season was 

 O.k fish and O.U pounds of f ish p er net lift. Mean catches for individual 

 netting periods fluctuated from 0.1 to 1.1 fish p er net lift and from 0.1 

 to 0,9 pounds of fish per net lift. A drop in catch similar to that ob- 

 served in the centrarchid catch during the first of June, was evident in 

 the catch of the white bass. The catch then increased until September. 



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