The Influence of Stream Stability on Homing Behavior of two Smallmouth Bass Populations
- 1 October 1962
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Transactions of the American Fisheries Society
- Vol. 91 (4) , 346-349
- https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1962)91[346:tiosso]2.0.co;2
Abstract
The homing behavior of smallmouth bass was studied in two small Ozark streams; Big Buffalo Creek with relatively permanent pools, and Little Saline Creek with many unstable pools continually altered by the shift of chert gravel. The smallmouth bass in both streams normally restrict their movements to limited sections of the streams, usually one distinct pool. In Little Saline Creek, 39 of 97 tagged bass recaptured had deserted their home pools. Of these, 24 were forced to move because their home pools had been eliminated by deposition of chert gravel. It was concluded that the movement of smallmouth bass in Little Saline Creek was directly correlated with the physical stability of the stream. The bass of Big Buffalo Creek moved somewhat more frequently than the bass in the stable pools of Little Saline Creek although the pools of Big Buffalo Creek were comparatively stable during the study period. Fifteen bass made voluntary trips of 100 to 2,845 feet to other pools, and later returned to their home pools. Such voluntary straying and homing behavior has not been reported before for warmwater fish.Keywords
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