Mb. Cole et Jr. Moring, RELATION OF ADULT SIZE TO MOVEMENTS AND DISTRIBUTION OF SMALLMOUTH BASS IN A CENTRAL MAINE LAKE, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 126(5), 1997, pp. 815-821
Forty-four smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu of three size-classes
were radiotracked in Green Lake, Maine, during summer 1993 (10 June-1
September) to determine whether adult size influenced distribution and
movement. Large smallmouth bass (>406 mm) used deep water (>8 m) more
often than did small (248-279 mm) or medium-sized (305-356 mm) smallm
outh bass during the late summer (15 July-1 September). Large smallmou
th bass also were found at middepths (4-8 m) significantly more often
than were small individuals during late summer. Small fish used cover
more frequently than large ones during early summer (10 June-13 July).
Both small and medium-sized individuals were associated with cover mo
re frequently than large smallmouth bass were during the late summer.
Small smallmouth bass exhibited significantly smaller summer total ran
ges than did large individuals, and mean active displacement differed
among all three size-classes.