Comparison of Growth, Body Weight, and Contribution to Recreational Creel of Channel Catfish and Channel Catfish × Blue Catfish Hybrids in Two Public Put–Grow–Take Fisheries in Kansas

Abstract

AbstractFisheries managers in Kansas face increasing challenges to diversify angling opportunities and increase appeal to a broader audience. One method of diversification is the development of alternative fisheries to complement those that are already established. To address this desire for diversification, age‐1 Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and age‐0 Channel Catfish × Blue Catfish I. furcatus hybrids were stocked in equal numbers at approximately equal sizes in two Kansas impoundments to compare growth, body weight, and return to creel in public put–grow–take systems. Catfish were sampled over a 3‐year period with a suite of gears, including gill nets, baited tandem hoop nets, and low‐frequency electrofishing. Additionally, creel surveys were conducted at both impoundments in 2015 and 2016 to estimate angling success. Hybrid catfish exhibited more rapid growth than Channel Catfish and reached the 381‐mm minimum harvest length approximately 267–343 d earlier in both impoundments. Channel Catfish weight was 1.01–1.06 times the hybrid catfish weight at 280 mm, 0.96–0.99 times the hybrid weight at 410 mm, and 0.88–0.95 times the hybrid weight at 610 mm. Angler success did not differ between types of catfish in either impoundment during either year, but low sample sizes prohibited thorough comparison. More Channel Catfish (N = 623) than hybrid catfish (N = 297) were encountered with sampling gears, but differences in catch rate by gear were minimal, with no discernable patterns. Results presented herein provide evidence that hybrid catfish might be suitable for public put–grow–take fisheries. Additionally, growth and production benefits of hybrid catfish may make them a more economical option than Channel Catfish in these types of fisheries.