Reservoir seeding for bass management and its effect on sunfish, white crappie, and yellow perch

Ten sections of the fluctuation zone of Lake Nottely, a 1692 ha tributary reservoir in northern Georgia, were seeded with four species of terrestrial grasses by the use of cyclone seeders. Sudan x Sudan, sorghum x sudan, field rye, and fescue were the grasses utilized. Fertilized field rye, a winter species, exhibited the best growth attaining an average height of 79 cm with 43 stems per m². The failure of the sudan x sudan and sorghum x sudan to survive was attributed to the extremely dry summer.

The 10 seeded sections contained 270% more sunfish (Lepomis spp.) ≤ 40 mm when compared to the numbers of sunfish in the control areas. Young-of-the-year white crappie (Pomoxis annularis) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) were more abundant in seeded areas by 120 and 240%, respectively. White crappie were the only species that exhibited better growth in the seeded areas at every sampling period.

When the total digestive tract of each species was examined, the sunfish ≤ 40 mm consistently exhibited fewer insects and zooplankton per stomach in the seeded areas. This trend was related to the significantly greater numbers of sunfish in the seeded areas. Yellow perch was the only species that had greater numbers of zooplankton and insects per gut in the seeded areas. The significant difference in these items at the first sampling period probably resulted in the better condition of yellow perch in the seeded areas during this time.