Abstract
Investigation of the Hudson River Estuary largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fishery began in 1984 to determine the importance of five suspected wintering areas. Tournament fishing in 1985–88 extended over 166 km of the estuary and provided recaptures of largemouth bass which were previously marked after being electrofished from winter refugia. The river-wide abundance estimate (+ 95% CI) included 29,500 ± 10,250 bass ≥305 mm for the fall and spring 1987–88, and abundance in the two prior years appeared similar. Largemouth bass abundance estimates in the winter refugia (from electrofishing recaptures) totaled 17,300 fish 2305 mm, in 1987–88. Thus, a large percentage, about 59%, of the largemouth bass in the river fishery appeared to use these five wintering refugia.

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