Influences of Interstice Size, Shade, and Predators on the Use of Artificial Structures by Bluegills

Abstract

Abstract Adding artificial structures to lakes concentrates fish and therefore may increase angler success. However, structure characteristics that attract fish are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preferences of juvenile and adult bluegills Lepomis macrochirus for interstice size (40, 150, and 350 mm) within artificial structures and shaded versus unshaded structures in the absence or presence of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. Structures were constructed of 10-cm-diameter plastic pipes and were 1.2 m × 1.2 m × 1.5 m in size. Juvenile (50–100 mm total length, TL) and adult (>150 mm TL) bluegills consistently preferred 40-mm interstices regardless of shading or presence of largemouth bass. Most bluegills (90%) were not associated with a structure on any given day, which suggested that small structures such as ours may have a limited carrying capacity for bluegills. Use of structures by largemouth bass appeared to be related to their body size. Small individuals (<3...