the catfish. At the same time the presence of catfish 
had no apparent influence on the bass population. 
Utilization of catfish food by bass and bluegills 
was not a problem in our trials. Bass were never 
observed to take pellets, and only a few of the larger 
bluegills were observed to converge around the 
cages, or to intermingle with the free catfish at 
feeding time. On the other hand, consumption of 
pellets by bluegills would be advantageous if it pro- 
duced a larger, more marketable size of bluegill, 
as it well should. 
In conclusion, it appears that combining of the 
species would have at least as many potential ad- 
vantages as disadvantages, and could be of par- 
ticular interest to a pond owner wishing to retain 
the recreational aspects of his pond while at the 
same time utilizing it as a source of income. 
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 
|. The bass and bluegills in our experimental ponds 
failed to achieve carrying capacity in the first 
growing season; the standing crops after two 
seasons more than doubled the weight of those 
* recovered after the first season. 
After two growing seasons the standing crops 
of bluegills were heaviest in those ponds con- 
taining both caged and uncaged catfish, were 
intermediate when tlie bluegills were combined 
with bass only, and léast when they were com- 
bined with bass and caged catfish. 
The lowest number, but greatest weight, of Age 0 
bluegills occurred when the bluegills were in- 
termixed with uncaged catfish, suggesting that 
the catfish may have effected a beneficial thinning 
of the small bluegills. 
4. Association with catfish placed no obvious limita- 
tions upon bluegill growth, and may have in- 
creased production through thinning of the young. 
5. Spawning by both bass and bluegills appeared 
to be normal, and Age 0 fish of both species 
were abundant in the final censuses. 
6. Coexistence with an intensive culture of channel 
catfish had no measurable influence upon the 
production of bass because no significant  dif- 
ference existed between final weights of bass 
stocked only with bluegills and_ bass stocked 
_< with bluegills and both caged and uncaged cat- 
. fish. 
7.< In 1971, mortalities averaged 5.4 percent among 
pte uncaged catfish, and only 1.0 percent among 
the caged populations. 
8. Caged catfish populations attained the greatest 
total weight when sharing a pond with only un- 
* 
’ 
bo 
Ge 
t 
caged catfish, but the uncaged catfish pop | 
tions attained greatest weights when associate 
with bass and bluegills. 
9. Weights of the uncaged catfish populations aver: 
aged 153.5 pounds (69.6 kilograms) heavier har 
the caged populations, and uncaged individual 
outweighed caged individuals by an average 
0.29 pound (131.5 grams). 
10. Final standing crops for the six populations 
bluegills averaged 219.7 pounds per acre ( 
kilograms per hectare), which was substan 
higher than standing crops measured in any 
a cross section of other unfertilized Illinois wa 
1l. Final standing crops in our six populations 
bass averaged 69.3 pounds per acre (77.7 
grams per hectare), which was higher than 
average for a cross section of other Illinois wa 
12. The data suggest that channel catfish can be 
duced in commercial quantities in ponds 
taining better-than-average standing crops of 
and bluegills without loss in production of & 
of the three intermixed species. 4 
13. The combining of intensive cultures of cha 
catfish with fishable populations of bass and 
gills could retain, and perhaps even enhance, tl 
recreational aspects of a pond while the pon 
was being used as a source of income. 
Uo 
LITERATURE CITED ~ 
BENNETT, GrorcE W. 1971. Management of lakes and pond 
ond ed. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York. 365 
, H. WIcKLIFFE ADKINS, and WILLIAM F, CHILDER 
1969. Largemouth bass and other fishes in Ridge Lak 
Illinois 1941-63. Illinois Natural History Survey 
tin SOC )i21—678 “4 
Buck, D. Homer, and Cuartes F, Tuorrs II. 1970. Dynai 
ics of one-species populations of fishes in ponds subject 
to cropping and additional stocking. Illinois” Natur 
History Survey Bulletin 30(2): 69-165. fH 
| Ricuarp J. Baur, CHartes F. Tuorrs I, al L 
Russett Ross. 1972. Combined culture of channel 
fish and golden shiners in wading pools. Illinois | 
History Survey Biological Notes 79. 12 p. a | 
_ and C. Russert Rose. 1973. Miscel 
neous experiments with channel catfish in cages, pont 
and a modified raceway. Illinois Natural History Surv 
Mimeo. 18 p. at 
Hansen, DonaLp F., GrorcE W. BENNETT, Rosert J. WE 
and Joun M. Lewis. 1960. Hook-and-line catch in f 
tilized and unfertilized ponds. Illinois Natural Histe 
Survey Bulletin 27(5) :345-390. a 
LEWIs, WILLIAM M. 1969. Progress report on the feasibil 
of feeding-out channel catfish in cages. Report from t 
Fisheries Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois U 
versity, Mimeo. 8 p. 
Lorrnot, At, and Ray FisHer. 1969. Potentials of catf 
farming in Illinois. Illinois Department of Conservati 
Division of Fisheries Mimeo 35. 24 p. 
ne 
US ISSN 0073-490X Pe (56618-—8,500=Be 
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