Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1992

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Major Professor

J. Larry Wilson

Committee Members

David Etnier, Douglas Peterson

Abstract

The movements and spawning strategy of 39 adult crappie (Pomoxis spp.) in Douglas Reservoir, Tennessee, were determined by radio-telemetry. Distinct winter, staging, spawning and summer movement patterns were documented. Throughout the cooler winter months, tagged crappie demonstrated the ability to travel relatively long distances. The average distance traveled by fish between January, 1990, and April, 1991, was 14.23 km. During this period, crappie also showed a preference for certain areas of the reservoir, namely, the lower impounded areas of Muddy Creek and Koontz Creek. Ripe male and female crappie were collected for the spring tagging by electrofishing the middle reaches of protected embayments between April and June, 1991. They were captured exclusively from submerged buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) often in association with partially inundated black willow trees (Salix nigra). Water depths varied from 1 to 3 m in these areas. Evidence derived from the examination of gonads suggested these areas serve as staging habitats for crappie, especially females. Spawning activity was observed within protected embayments from mid-April to early June. The earliest spawning activities were observed in Shadden Creek when water temperatures at 1 m were 17 °C. Nesting black crappie males were located in Shadden Creek on April 14, 1990, under partially inundated black willow trees associated with dense submerged vegetation. They were at a depth of 15 to 60 cm and within 3 m of the shoreline. These males were in close proximity to 3 female black crappie fitted with transmitters. A sharp increase in reservoir levels combined with a major cold snap in late April apparently disrupted these early spawning activities; however, cove rotenone and mid-reservoir trawling data suggested a good spawn occurred (D. Peterson, TWRA, pers. comm.). Additional spawning activities were noted in similar habitats within the Muddy Creek and Koontz Creek embayments. No evidence of spatial overlap between the two species of crappie was noted; however, temporal overlap was observed. Larval crappie 3-4 mm in total length were collected from areas frequented by tagged fish confirming spawning activity in those areas. Electrofishing samples taken in 1991 suggested crappie moved from protected coves in mid-June after the cessation of spawning activities. Information gained from anglers confirmed these observations. During the critical summer months crappie displayed a preference for the warmer, shallow waters containing relatively high dissolved oxygen concentrations. They also demonstrated the ability to travel fairly long distances at that time. The greatest distance traveled by a single fish was 17.30 km and the average distance traveled by those fish which moved was 5.45 km. They were generally found at greater depths at night (2.7 m) than during the day (1.8 m). There was an exploitation rate of 52% for 23 radio-tagged crappie between December, 1990, and June, 1991. An exploitation rate of 6% was recorded for 16 tagged fish from May to September, 1992.

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