Population Assessment and Movement
Patterns of Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui) Near the Beaver
Island Archipelago, Lake Michigan.
Mark A. Kaemingk
The smallmouth bass fishery near the Beaver Island Archipelago was nationally renowned according to Field and Stream in the mid 1970’s. Since then, the population and the quality of the fishery has declined. Currently, we are unaware of which factors contributed to this phenomenon. The objectives of this study is to assess the current population, compare these findings to past studies, and provide insight for future management decisions. During preliminary sampling, 503 smallmouth bass were tagged with either a floy or jaw tag, which will aid in determining population size and calculating individual growth rates. In addition to tagging, transmitters will be implanted in several smallmouth bass to track individual movement patterns. Very little research has been done on smallmouth bass movement in large bodies of water (i.e. Lake Michigan). We also want to study recruitment, growth, and morality rates of smallmouth bass within this system. Ultimately, we hope to gain insight to population dynamics of smallmouth bass near the Beaver Island Archipelago. Information obtained through this project may prove beneficial for fisheries biologists managing similar smallmouth bass populations (i.e. populations in large bodies of water) across the country.