Importance of Gizzard Shad in the Diet of Largemouth Bass in Lake Shelbyville, Illinois

Abstract

Changes in food habits of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides were compared with seasonal and annual changes in size composition of a gizzard shad population Dorosoma cepedianum to better understand the temporal dynamics of this species as prey for largemouth bass. Stomachs of 5,283 largemouth bass were examined during spring, summer, and fall from 1978 to 1981. Gizzard shad was the most important species in the diet ofage-I and older largemouth bass in all years. However, the age and size composition, as well as the percentage of the volume contributed by this species to the diet, varied substantially among years and seasonally within each year. Variation of gizzard shad in the diet of yearling and older largemouth bass reflected changes in availability caused by high winter mortality of young-of-the-year gizzard shad in some years as well as by annual variation in the summer growth of this age group. Seasonal gaps in the availability of important size classes of gizzard shad reduced its value as a forage species. Fish contributed a maj or portion of the diet of young-of-the-year largemouth bass in all years but gizzard shad were important only in 1981. Age-0 gizzard shad grew more slowly in 1981, a larger fraction remained vulnerable to predation, and more were eaten by age-0 largemouth bass than in any other year. Storck, T. W., W. Dimond, and S. Miller. 1982. Determination of factors affecting the survival of larval fish and an evaluation of their utilization as food

Comparative Population Characteristics of Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), Northern Pike (E. lucius), and Their Hybrid (E. masquinongy × E. lucius)

“…These differences between esocid size groups may be related to changes in optimal prey sizes for larger esscids or to changes in prey availability. Because gizzard shad often experience high overwinter mortality (Jenkins and Morais 19'98;A d a m et al 1982;Storck 1986), their populations are dominated by young-of-year. Hence, adult esocids may have been constrained to small sizes when feeding on gizzard shad.…”

“…Tiger muskellunge typically occur naturally only in low numbers (Crossman m d Buss 1965), but they have been widely introduced (Wingate 1986). Whereas investigators have examined population attributes of these taxa individually, quantifying growth (Bimber 1982;Diana 1983b;Kipling 1983: Newman andStorck 1986), survival (Casselman 1978;Bimber 1982) and diet (Frost 1954;Lawler 1965;Mann 1976;Wolfert 1978), few studies have con~pared these taxa directly, as they rarely cooccur. Recent research has addressed some comparative aspects of juvenile esocids (Wahl and Stein 1 988,1199 1); however?…”

Gizzard shad population dynamics in eutrophic Missouri reservoirs with emphasis on environmental influences on their growth

“…They can feed on pelagic phytoplankton, zooplankton, and detritus by pump-filter feeding (Drenner et al 1978(Drenner et al , 1982a and by grazing on bottom sediments Schaus et al 2002). Gizzard shad are also important nutrient recyclers, transporting nutrients associated with benthic substrates into the water column (Vanni et al 2005), and are important prey species for piscivorous fishes (Noble 1981;Storck 1986;Michaletz 1997b). Their versatile feeding and nutrient-recycling capabilities and importance as prey, combined with their commonly high biomasses, result in widespread ecosystem effects (Stein et al 1995;Vanni et al 2005).…”

Larval gizzard shad characteristics in Lake Oahe, South Dakota: a species at the northern edge of its range

“…Gizzard shad are an important prey resource for a suite of sport fishes (Storck 1986;Michaletz 1997Michaletz , 1998 and can strongly influence growth, recruitment, and survival of predatory fishes (DeVries and Stein 1990;Garvey and Stein 1998;Bauer 2002). Predation of gizzard shad by recreational fishes, such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), walleye (Sander vitreus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), and white bass (Morone chrysops), is dependent on the growth of age-0 gizzard shad (Michaletz 1997(Michaletz , 1998.…”

“…Predation of gizzard shad by recreational fishes, such as largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), walleye (Sander vitreus), white crappie (Pomoxis annularis), and white bass (Morone chrysops), is dependent on the growth of age-0 gizzard shad (Michaletz 1997(Michaletz , 1998. In some systems, gizzard shad produce slow-growing individuals that are vulnerable to fish predation (Storck 1986;Michaletz 1997Michaletz , 1998Allen et al 1999). In contrast, in systems where age-0 shad growth rates are high, shad quickly reach sizes that fishes are unable to exploit (Noble 1981).…”