Food Habits, Growth, and Production of Young-of-the-Year Walleyes, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitchell), in a South Dakota Pond

<p>A 12.45 hectare South Dakota pond was stocked with 25,000 walleye, Stizostedion vitreum vitreum (Mitichell), fingerling on 13 June, 1973. Walleyes were monitored for growth rate and food habits until 13 September, 1973. Walleyes were removed from the pond using various methods in order to evaluate the efficiency of removal methods. The average total length and average weight of walleyes in the pond increased from 43.5 mm and 0.50 g on 13 June to 167.1 mm and 41.25 g on 13 September. This was a gain of 123. 6 mm and 40.75 g or an average daily increase of 1.34 mm and 0.44 g. The growing season was not complete at the time of the last sampling. Stomachs of 177 young-of-the-year walleyes were examined during the study period. Diaptomus sp. was found in 49.7% of thestomachs (8.0% by volume). Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas, Rafinesque) were found in 26.6% of the stomachs (69.2% by volume) and aquatic insects in 21.5% (17.6% by volume). Walleyes fed primarily on Diaptomus sp. until mid-July when they began feeding primarily on fathead minnows. Fathead minnow populations declined and in mid-August walleyes sought an alternate food source. Aquatic insects, mostly chironomids, were the primary food at this time. A total of 4,416 walleyes (17.7%) was removed from the pond. Of these, 2,347 were removed with seines, 1,937 with electrofishing gear, and 111 with trap nets. Seining yielded 287.3 fish per hour of operation, electrofishing yielded 221.4 fish per hour, and trap netting yielded 2.1 fish per hour. Electrofishing had the highest yield per effort of all methods used, yielding 75.2 walleyes per man-hour. Seining yielded 45.0 walleyes per man-hour and trap netting yielded 10.1 fish per man-hour.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Year

1975

Author dc:creator

• Walker, Ronne E.

• Natural Resources and Conservation

Statement dc:rights

• <p>No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only<br /><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/</a></p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/etd/107

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openprairie.sdstate.edu:etd-1107