ANGLING VULNERABILITY OF BLACK CRAPPIES, WHITE CRAPPIES, AND THEIR NATURALLY PRODUCED HYBRID IN WEISS RESERVOIR, ALABAMA, USA

We examined differences in angling vulnerability among black crappies Pomoxis nigromaculatus, white crappies Pomoxis annularis, and their na turally produced hybrid offspring in Weiss Reservoir, Alabama, USA, du ring spring and fall of 1992 and 1993. Proportions of crappie phenotyp es (determined by starch-gel electrophoresis) in the reservoir were es timated from trapnet and electrofishing collections. We collected angl ed crappies from local resort owners and crappie tournaments during sp ring and fall 1992 and 1993 to determine relative proportions of crapp ie phenotypes in angler catch. The proportion of black crappies caught by anglers was higher (P < 0.05) and the proportion of white crappies caught by anglers was lower (P < 0.05) compared to their proportions in trapnet and electrofishing catches from the reservoir. Although fir st-generation (F-1) hybrids recruited to the minimum harvestable size (254 mm total length) earlier than either parental, these fish were no t overly abundant in angler catches compared to their abundances in th e reservoir. In fact, we found that in the fall of 1992 F-1 hybrid cra ppies were less abundant in angler catches compared with their abundan ces in the reservoir. Black crappies were more vulnerable to angling t han the other phenotypes, yet the proportion of this species did not d ecrease over time, likely because of moderate rates of crappie exploit ation in Weiss Reservoir. Results of this study suggest that stocking of hybrid crappies for sport fishing purposes may not be as beneficial as once thought because they do not always contribute to the sport fi shery relative to their abundance.