Rainbow trout 



One rainbow trout was collected from the 

 reservoir in 1958 (table 2). This species was 

 stocked in the tailwaters of Fort Randall Dam 

 in 1956 and 1957. The experiment was appar- 

 ently not successful because of unsatisfactory 

 environmental conditions . 



Goldeye 



Goldeye was a minor species in the reser- 

 voir and its abundance decreased between 1956 

 and 1962 (table 2). The catch was dominated by 

 the 1955, 1956, and 1957 year-classes (table 10). 

 Spawning usually occurred during the last two 

 weeks of June. No young-of -the -year were 

 collected after 1957. Growth of this species, 

 as determined from average length at various 

 ages, was comparable to that found in other 

 areas of the United States (Carlander, 1953). 



Carp 



Carp were generally distributed through- 

 out the reservoir and were the most abundant 

 fish collected in Lewis and Clark Lake. This 

 abundance was attributed to strong 1955 and 1956 

 year-classes and these fish dominated the catch 

 through 1962 (table 11). Carp reproduction after 

 1957 was relatively poor (table 7), and relative 

 abundance of this species declined through 1962 

 (table 6) . 



Spawning occurred during June and annulus 

 formation in most fish was completed by July 1 . 

 Average length in inches by age group for fish 

 through 9 years of age collected in 1962 was as 

 follows: I, 3.3; II, 5.6; LQ, 6.7; IV, 8,3; V, 

 9.2; VI, 10.5; VU, 12,1: VUI, 14.6; and IX, 15.8. 

 Average length of age group VI carp taken in 

 Oahe Reservoir in 1959 was 19.5 inches, 2/and 

 length of age group FV carp taken in Fort Randall 

 Reservoir in 1959 was 15.7 inches 3/ Growth of 



carp in Lewis and Clark Lake was poor compared 

 with that obtained in other mainstem Missouri 

 River reservoirs and with that found in other 

 areas of the United States (Carlander, 1953). 



Rive r ca rpsucker 



This species was well distributed through- 

 out the reservoir and ranked second to carp in 

 the catch (table 2). Carpsucker abundance re- 

 mained relatively constant between 1956 and 1962 

 (table 6), and the population was largely dominated 

 by the 1955 and 1956 year-classes. In 1962 the 

 1955 year-class declined, and the 1957 year- 

 class became important (table 12), Shore seining 

 indicated that reproductive success was good 

 in 1960 and 1961 (table 7), 



The carpsucker usually spawned during 

 the last 2 weeks of June and annulus formation 

 was completed by July 1, Average length in inches 

 by age group for fish collected in 1962 was as 

 follows: I, 2.2; II, 4.6; UI, 7.0; IV, 8.5; V, 

 10.2; VI, 11.5; and VII, 13.6. Growth was poor 

 compared with other mainstem Missouri River 

 reservoirs , Average total length of age group 

 VI carpsucker in Oahe Reservoir was 14.7 inchest' 

 and in Fort Randall Reservoir 17.2 inches— . 

 This species is apparently well adapted to the 

 reservoir, since reproduction was successful in 

 most years and its relative abundance remained 

 unchanged . 



2/ 



Smallmouth buffalo 



There was a small population of small- 

 mouth buffalo in the reservoir, and its abundance 

 remained relatively stable between 1957 and 

 1962 (table 6). Spawning was usually completed 

 by the end of June. A large year-class was pro- 

 duced in 1956, the year following dam closure, 

 and this group almost exclusively dominated the 

 population through 1962 (table 13). Shore seining 

 suggests poor reproduction each year since 1956 



(table 7). 



2/ Fogle, Ned E. 1961. Report of f isheries investigations during the second year of impoundment 

 of Oahe Reservoir, S. Dak. , 1959. Dingell -Johnson Project F-l-R-9, 43 pp. (Mimeo.) 



3/ Sprague, James W, 1961. Report of fisheries investigations during the seventh year of impound- 

 ment of Fort Randall Reservoir, South IDakota, 1959. Dingell -Johnson Project F-l-R-9, 49 pp. 

 (Mimeo.). 



11 



