Study that tracked the movement of largemouth bass

[WB Staff]

TYLER, Texas (KETK) — Biologists from the Texas Parks and Wildlife completed a study that tracked the movement of largemouth bass at Toledo Bend Reservoir and Lake Fork to learn about fish behavior and help anglers be more effective when they target bass.

Anglers reported a decline in catch rates in 2018, and many attributed the decline to a decrease in fish populations. Despite the reduced catch rates, TPWD said electrofishing data that biologists gathered on fish populations remained consistent.

Biologists then explored if an increase in fishing activity impacted fish behavior, which could be the reason why anglers reported less catch rates.

The multi-year long study at Toledo Bend and Lake Fork focused on seasonal habitat use, movement and home range of largemouth bass and how it impacted angling activity.

Biologists monitored the movement patterns of largemouth bass ranging from 16 to 24 inches in length. They reportedly used radio transmitters into 43 fish at Toledo Bend and 38 fish at Lake Fork to track them over two years.

Full Story: https://www.ketk.com/news/study-finds-h ... outh-bass/

[WRB]

Agree and magnify the boat noise impact on our smaller high pressured bass lakes.
Mike Lembeck performed a 3 year tracking study in the early 70’s in San Diego lakes and worth reading!
Tom

[gixxer464]

I believe that their sample size is not sufficient to determine and predict bass behavior. Especially for those larger fisheries. Are angler's still reporting declined catch rates on those fisheries? A better question to examine and study would be "How FFS is affecting these fisheries and catch rates?" Thoughts???

[WRB]

I suggest reading the late Bill Murphy’s book In Pursuit of Giant Bass. Bill worked with Mike Lembeck during his 3 year study tracking about 200 adult size bass. The majority larger size bass would locate suspended over deep water after spawning in groups. The suspended bass would come and go at random, basically individual bass joining a group. One of big bass would leave and travel to the closed area by the dam as soon as the lake opened to boats indicating this bass learned boats were a threat.
Murphy’s conclusion was the suspended deep water bass was the next frontier in bass fishing and was exploiting that theory when passed away. FFS is a tool to exploit suspended bass....Murph’s frontier.
Tom