Threadfin Shad Use as Supplemental Prey in Reservoir White Crappie Fisheries in Kentucky

Abstract

Abstract Prey bases in two Kentucky reservoirs were supplemented with stocked prespawn adult threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense during 1991–1993 to improve fisheries for white crappies Pomoxis annularis by increasing their growth and shifting population size structure toward larger fish. Abundance of age-0 threadfin shad produced was lower than native age-0 gizzard shad D. cepedianum, but threadfin shad provided late-season prey by spawning later than gizzard shad in both reservoirs. In Rough River Lake, threadfin shad stocking rates of 15–28 fish/ha produced peak densities of 0.04 ± 0.01 to 0.46 ± 0.10 fish/m3 (mean ± SE) that represented 3. 5, and 0.3% of the annual peak gizzard shad densities from 1991 through 1993, respectively, but neither white crappie growth nor population size structure were improved. In Dewey Lake, threadfin shad stocking rates of 121–285 fish/ha produced peak threadfin shad densities of 0.40 ± 0.15 to 0.66 ± 0.08 fish/m3 that represented 89, 23, and 20% of peak gizzard shad densi...