Black Bass Advisory Subcommittee

January 21, 2020

1

BBAS Agenda

2

Cooperative Bass Management

3

BBAS Agenda

4

BBAS Agenda

5

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Brett Coakley

Freshwater Fisheries Program

Eastern Regional Manager6

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Susquehanna River Facts and

History

• Susquehanna watershed over

27,000 sq mi, PA, NY, MD

• Many dams on Susquehanna,

some functioning, some not

• Watershed is mixture of

agriculture, forest and urban

• Water sources for many

municipalities

Courtesy SRC7

Conowingo Reservoir Facts and

History

• Conowingo Dam built 1926-1928 for

hydroelectric power, largest in US, 11

turbines

• Impounds over 9000 acres (MD/PA)

• Provides water for Peach Bottom

Nuclear Plant (recent increase)

• Muddy Run Pump Storage Facility

• Current ownership Exelon Corp

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

8

Conowingo Reservoir Facts and

History

• Max depth 60’ (current)

• Low residence time, fluctuates

depending on generation

• Typically does not stratify, eutrophic

• Cool and warm water fisheries

• Ladder/lift installs in 1984 and 1991

• Diversity of habitat, steep banks in

lower section

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Courtesy USGS9

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Past and Present Conowingo Reservoir Management Activities

• Boat electrofishing 400m, 600s

samples within established sites

• Traditional fall nighttime sampling

(bi-annually)

• Late spring/early summer (June)

daytime sampling (annually)

• Both completed in MD portion of

Conowingo only – focus on black

bass

• Targeted hoop net survey for

flathead catfish, additional surveys

for panfish and other fish species 10

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Conowingo Reservoir Survey Results

Shift in bass species dominance from

LMB to SMB over time

Bass reproduction and recruitment can

be variable, especially for LMB

Most current survey (June 2019) 10%

of SMB had external anomalies

11

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Fall surveys higher but more variable catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), both

between years and between individual sites, questionably high 2016

CPUE

Summer surveys consistently produce lower CPUE, but have greater

precision with fewer sites

Conowingo Reservoir Survey Results

Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass

2016 2017 2019 2016 2017 2019

Number of sites 10 10 13 10 10 13

Number of bass collected8 44

4898 112

109

CPUE60 Stock ± CI (95%) 4

(2-6)

24

(16-32)

19

(8-30)

39

(27-51)

53

(37-69)

35

(25-45)

CPUE60 Quality ± CI (95%) 3

(1-5)

21

(13-29)

16

(5-27)

19

(13-25)

38

(23-53)

26

(17-35)

Proportional Size Distribution

(PSD) SD ± 95% CI

NA 88

(76-100)

81

(67-95)

48

(37-59)

71

(61-81)

75

(65-85)

12

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Interest from anglers to remove spring closure

for tournaments?

• Both MD and PA data show recent

decreases in bass abundance and

increase in PSD

• Both agencies believe that consistent bass

reproduction and recruitment is the key to

maintaining a quality fishery

• Allowing spring possession tournaments

could result in higher adult mortality and

impact spawning success

Current and Future Management Topics

13

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Current and Future Management Concerns

Increased Cooperative Work with PA

• Initiate cooperative sampling

efforts to assess black bass

populations and impacts of

disease and intersex on bass

populations

• Invasive species – flathead

catfish, blue catfish, snakehead?

• Working toward a renewal of the

license reciprocation agreement

for Conowingo and Youghiogheny

Reservoirs14

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Current and Future Management Concerns

2020 Pilot Dredging Project

• Small-scale experimental dredge project

• Only 1,000 cu/yds of material from a 0.58

acre area

• Mechanical removal onto barge

surrounded by turbidity curtain

• Offloaded and dewatered at site in PA

• Experiment with material to determine

how it can be utilized beneficially

15

Fisheries Resources of

Conowingo Reservoir

Questions?

16

BBAS Agenda

17

Small Tournament Permitting

Request a Permit

18

Lagniappe

19