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Document Type

Research

Keywords

largemouth bass, food habits, Big Creek Lake

Abstract

Food habits of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were studied at Big Creek Lake, from 1974-76, to determine the utilization of various prey species, temporal food habits, size at which bass became piscivorous, and size of fish-food items in relation to size of bass. Stomach contents from 259 bass were examined and 75 were empty. Entomostraca and insects were important food items of young bass but a transition stage was noted at about 125 mm TL when fish became the prominent food item. Crayfish were important food items early in the spring. Bass fed mostly on 0-age Centrarchids, and particularly bluegill and Notropis sp. Fish provided 29 to 86% of the biomass consumed and 2 to 70% by number. Larger bass (300+ mm) tended to utilize larger but fewer fish-food items while smaller bass (200-299 mm) consumed smaller fish more frequently.

Publication Date

March 1978

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

85

Issue

1

First Page

31

Last Page

34

Copyright

©1978 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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