1

How Well Does a Closed Season Protect Spawning Bass in Ontario?

Mark Kubacki, Frank Phelan, Julie Claussen and David Philipp

American Fisheries Society Symposium (2002)

Chris Carman

2

Spawning OverviewLargemouth and smallmouth bass

Temperatures near 15° C.Males guard nests and fry

Are extremely aggressive

3

Self-sustaining populationsClosed fishing periodsCatch and release regulationsLength/harvest limit combinations

4

Ontario RegulationsClosed season from Oct. 15/Nov. 30 – last Saturday in June

Eliminate harvest of male bassMaximize reproductive success

5

Major QuestionsHow well does the closed season coincide with the full reproductive period?

What percent of angling effort targets nesting bass during the closed season?

6

Ontario Study AreasLake OpiniconCharleston LakeMississippi River (tributary of the Ottawa River)

St. Lawrence River

7

MethodsMonitored reproductive effort

Twice on weekdays, once on weekends1990 - 2001

Assessed angling effortTwice on weekdays, once on weekends1990 - 1992

8

Major Findings• Smallmouths guard broods

longer than largemouths– SMB 18 ~ 31 days– LMB 12 ~ 23 days

• Fry develop and become independent quicker in waters that warm quickly

9

Figure 1. Annual Variation

10

Table 1. Successful Completion

11

Table 2. Angler Effort

12

Recommendations30-40 percent of littoral area designated as a seasonal sanctuary

Duration determined by spawning schedules of resident bassRemainder of lake catch-and-release

13

As a result…Cleaner definitions of legal/illegal angling activitiesEasier and more effective enforcementDecreased interaction between anglers and lakeshore property owners

14

Further StudiesRelationships between numbers of adults and size of year classMeasuring if/how angling for nesting bass impacts recruitment

15

Questions