Abstract

Utah Lake, located in Utah County, north-central Utah, is one of the most important natural fishing lakes in the state. The spawning ecology of the white bass (Roccus chrysops) was studied in Utah Lake between 1964 and 1966. Gill nets and seining were the primary means of sampling. The spawning location was sampled every other day throughout the spring and early summer of 1966. Three major winter schooling areas were found: Provo Bay - Creer Access south to the mouth of Spanish Fork River, Lincoln Beach, and off Ludlow Barn. There appears to be extensive winter feeding and movement among the white bass populations. Immature white bass of both sexes were found in large numbers throughout the entire lake during the summer. In the early spring months, bisexual schools of mature bass concentrated in the southern portions of the lake before forming into unisexual schools in mid-April. Spawning activities were restricted to an area adjacent to Lincoln Beach, 0.25 mile and to a depth of 60 inches. Rubble, interspersed with ledge rock and boulders, were the only bottom types selected for spawning. An area surrounding Bird Island also simulated the bottom types off Lincoln Beach, but was not utilized for spawning. Gravid females were taken in the vicinity of Lincoln Beach on May 6, 1966 when water temperatures had reached 63° F. Spawning activity lasted from 10 to 15 days in mid-June in water temperatures of 69° F. Unisexual schools of gravid females were found off Creer Access a distance of three miles from the spawning grounds. Small numbers of female bass would migrate to the spawning site, spawn, and return to the vicinity of Creer Access, never remaining over the spawning site longer than to spawn. Tributaries were not utilized for spawning, although bass were sampled feeding in the Provo River in mid-August. Turbidity of Utah Lake during the spring and summer prevented any observations of spawning activity or behavior. Summer sampling throughout Utah Lake in 1965 resulted in a 2:1 (174 males - 93 females) sex ratio. However, these figures are in conclusive as they did not include gravid females.

Degree

MS

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

1967-05-01

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/Letd323

Keywords

White bass, Utah; Utah Lake (Utah)

Language

English

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