Distribution of Age-0 Largemouth Bass in Relation to Shoreline Landscape Features

Abstract

Relations between landscape features and the littoral distribution of young largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides were determined for 43 contiguous sections along the entire 8-km shoreline of an unvegetated embayment in B. E. Jordan Lake, North Carolina. Night shoreline electrofishing was conducted in July and October 1991–1992 and individual capture points of age-0 largemouth bass were recorded. Significant correlations among and between years in catch rate per section of shoreline indicated consistency in distribution. Habitat was characterized in 35 sections in July–August and 22 sections in October to quantify the relation between abundance and landscape components. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that distribution was strongly and positively related to landscape features, specifically bottom slope and gravel substrata. Correlations of catch rates with cover components were negative for July but positive for October. These data indicate that cover may be limiting late in the year, coincident with declines in water level. Habitat–catch relations were stronger in October of both years despite lower mean abundance, indicating that reduced habitat at low water levels limits carrying capacity for young largemouth bass. The multiple regression model precisely predicted relative abundance along five sections of shoreline in another embayment for which habitat variables were assessed. Age-0 largemouth bass exhibited patchy distributions that were linked to spatially and temporally heterogeneous landscape parameters on the embayment-level scale. Because relative densities of age-0 largemouth bass were related to availability of specific shoreline landscape features, habitat management may enhance carrying capacity for young largemouth bass.