Comparision of Growth Among Different Age Classes of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) Populations in Two Impoundents in Northwest Pennsylvania

Abstract

ABSTRACT The length of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), as determined from scale samples, was calculated based on the formula Ln = (Sn/S)L. Ln is length in the nth year, Sn is the length of the annulus in the nth year, S is the total scale length and L is the total length of the fish at capture. These values were compared for two impoundments, Lake Latonka and Lake Wilhelm in northwestern Pennsylvania. The weight (Wo) of fish at capture was compared with the estimated weight (We) based on a regression equation We = aln and the length-weight relationship We = ln. Fish in both Lake Latonka and Lake Wilhelm exhibited a significant length-weight correlation, except for the 0+ age class in Lake Latonka. There was a significant correlation between the expected and observed weight in both impoundments. During the first year, largemouth bass in Lake Latonka, exceeded the growth of largemouth bass in Lake Wilhelm, but in succeeding years the growth of fish in Lake Wilhelm exceeded that of fish in Lake Latonka. This difference may be the result of food availability.