Abstract
Walleye Sander vitreus (Mitchill) distributions and ecology have been poorly studied in southern river basins. We studied the longitudinal distribution and population characteristics of walleye in an unregulated river within the Ozark region of the U.S., the lower Eleven Point River, Arkansas, which has high species diversity. Walleye were collected in a 60 km segment of the river by daytime boat electrofishing over a three year period (2002-2004). Catch rates, growth rates and size structure were high relative to other streams studied in North America. Catch per effort ( = 5.2/h) was similar seasonally, spatially and among years. Proportional stock structures were quite high ( = 80), with numerous fish collected over 600 mm total length, 4 kg in mass and greater than 10 years of age. Relative weights of all length groups (stock size, proportional size structure, relative size structure) were at or greater than 90. Stomach contents of walleye were more suggestive of a generalist strategy in a stream of high species diversity, as compared to the targeting of a single numerically dominant prey, which is common in lentic systems.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Ronald L.; Henry, S. D.; and Barkley, Sam W.
(2009)
"Distribution and Population Characteristics of Lower Walleye in the Eleven Point River, Arkansas,"
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 63, Article 13.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol63/iss1/13
