Winter Abundance of Channel Catfish in the Channelized Missouri River, Nebraska

Abstract
The objective of this study was to estimate and compare the population abundances and size structures of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus wintering in rock dike habitats in several channelized sections of the Missouri River. Electrofishing was used to sample channel catfish populations at four locations along the Missouri River in the winter months of 1983–1987. Deep scour holes in eddy current areas associated with rock wing dike structures provided valuable winter habitats for many fish species. Channel catfish were only collected from dike habitats with depths greater than 12 ft and water velocities less than 0.90 ft/s. A significant positive relationship was revealed between the number of channel catfish collected per river mile and the species' estimated density based on mark-recapture experiments. Tag returns documented a seasonal pattern of movement from the wintering habitat of the Missouri River to tributary streams during warmer months.
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