Percid stocking rates in Ohio reservoirs: bioenergetic and field assessment.
Chris Aman, M.S. Student, and Roy Stein. Funded by: Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife, Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration.

Enhancing sportfish production in Ohio reservoirs is a continuing challenge for resource manager, owing to poor recruitment of native sportfishes, often associated with dense populations of gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum).  While gizzard shad may limit the success of native sportfishes, they also represent an abundant prey resource which can support dense predator populations, leading the Division of Wildlife to develop an extensive saugeye (Sander vitreus male x S. Canadensis female) stocking program.  Despite stocking this highly piscivorous fish, Ohio gizzard shad resources appear underexploited, suggesting we could stock saugeye at substantially higher rates.  However, a variety of factors, including sportfish emigration, prey limitation, and predation may limit success of these stockings.

Ohio Division of Wildlife personnel

stocking saugeye into Acton Lake.

 We stocked saugeye in Acton Lake during 2004-2005 at the maximum rate we estimated its gizzard shad population could sustainably support.  Our objectives were to 1) evaluate our success in generating a high density saugeye population, and 2) assess impacts of potential limiting factors on saugeye population development. 

To evaluate our success in generating a high density saugeye population, we sampled saugeye during fall by electrofishing, and compared saugeye growth and survival in Acton Lake with historical saugeye performance across Ohio reservoirs.  To assess impacts of potentially limiting factors, we evaluated likelihood of emigration by comparing Acton Lake discharge and survival during 2004-2005.  We assessed prey limitation by comparing timing of saugeye stocking to gizzard shad ichthyoplankton densities and comparing bioenergetic estimates of predatory consumptive demand to acoustic estimates of gizzard shad biomass.  Finally, we assessed predation by estimating native largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and saugeye consumptive demand on stocked saugeye.  These analyses will provide insight into factors limiting saugeye stocking success in Ohio reservoirs.

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Chris Aman can be emailed at aman.17 "at" osu.edu

Jim Stoeckel (Miami University) assisting with
larval gizzard shad sampling.

Chris Aman and Carol Flaute dipping bass.