Douglas Lake - Electrofishing 2010
Sampling dates: April 7 - 13, 2010
Species collected in survey (14 runs, 3.5 hrs total effort):
Walleye = 2
Black Crappie = 56
White Crappie = 5
Smallmouth Bass = 96
Largemouth Bass = 857
Compared to the last several years, the 2010 smallmouth bass catch rates were well above average. We also saw a very strong 2009 year class where over half of the fish collected were 10-inches and under. This should help the smallmouth bass population increase in density over the next few years. With the large number of smallmouth bass sampled under 10-inches the last few years, the smallmouth population should remain stable and fishing should continue to improve. The relative weights for smallmouth bass were normal for Douglas Reservoir.
2010 largemouth bass catch rates were well above average also. As a matter of fact, they were the highest recorded since standardized sampling began in 1998 due to the abundance of fish 8-inches and less. As is normal with Douglas, the largest percentage (72%) of fish occurred in the 6 to 12-inch size range. This large number of small fish in the largemouth bass population will help to ensure a stable and quality fishery for the next several years. For the second year in a row, we also collected a largemouth that weighed over eight pounds. Douglas is a very fertile reservoir that can support lots of largemouth bass. Most of the largemouth, however, are smaller in size when compared to the other reservoirs in Region IV.
