Age and Growth of Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus) in Lake Fort Smith, Arkansas

Abstract

Abstract Age and growth data are presented on 380 spotted bass, Micropterus punctulatus, collected between June 1970 and July 1972 from Lake Fort Smith, Arkansas. Annuli were formed from late May through July; young spotted bass formed annuli earlier and during a shorter period of time than older individuals. Growth of males and females was similar and generally slower than that reported from other waters. The most active period of annual growth was initiated later and was of shorter duration in older fish. Growth, according to von Bertalanffy's equation, was best expressed as Lt = 350 [1 - e-0.511(t-0.330)], where L is total length in mm and t is age in yr. Maximum attainable length (L∞) was calculated to be 350 mm and 6.2 yr would be required to reach 95% of this length.