Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (Volume 36-37; V. 39) (English, Ga, Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1907. Excerpt: ... NOTES ON THE YELLOW BASS By Charles W. Burnham, U. S. FISHERIES STATION, TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI. The yellow bass (Morouc intcrrupta) is found in the lower Mississippi Valley, and north to Cincinnati, St. Louis and Terre Haute. It is most abundant in such streams as the St. Francis and White rivers in Arkansas, which are noted for their clear water and clean gravelly or sandy bottoms. Its color is brassy yellow, darker on back, growing lighter on sides and below, with about 7 very distinct black longitudinal lines. Head depressed, eye large, mouth small, back arched, body comparatively long, flesh firm and white. It is a splendid food and game fish and compares favorably with the black bass. It is often confounded with and resembles the striped bass of salt water, and the white bass of fresh water. In many places it is known as striped bass or barfish. The average lengths attained by yellow bass under favorable conditions are as follows: 3 weeks old, 1 inch; 6 weeks old, 1vi> inches; 3 months old, 3 inches; 8 months old, 6 inches; 1 year old, 8 inches. The adults usually seen weigh from 1 to 2 pounds, but some caught have exceeded a foot in length, and weighed over 5 pounds. Young yellow bass are as delicate as crappie, and those less than 2 inches long cannot be handled in warm weather without loss, but like crappie the yellow bass successfully withstand a water temperature higher than 90 degrees if not handled. When seined from the water fingerling yellow bass bend into a semi-circle as if trying to touch head and tail together. In this position they rapidly become rigid or sliff and die unless promptly placed in water. Upon being returned to the water they soon straighten out and swim around as usual. The adults do not have the tendency to curl up so much as the young fish and st...