Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Missouri
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Striped Bass are an important sportfish in Missouri and a goal of reservoir stocking programs is to create a unique angling opportunity to catch a trophy fish. However, there is concern among fishery managers and anglers that stocked striped bass may compete with or prey upon other sport fishes like crappie and bass. This project will use telemetry to evaluate dispersal and habitat use of stocked Striped Bass and stable isotope analysis to document striped bass food habits and diet overlap with other sport fishes. An improved understanding of diet and habitat overlap between striped bass and other reservoir sport fishes will be used by the Missouri Department of Conservation to develop stocking strategies for Striped Bass in Bull Shoals Lake and other reservoirs throughout the state.