Norris Lake - Electrofishing 2011
Sampling date: February 14 - April 20, 2011
Species collected in targeted survey (46.5 hrs total effort):
Smallmouth Bass = 391
Smallmouth bass was the only species targeted in 2011. This sample was performed to obtain baseline data to determine the effect over time of the new size limit.
As of April 27, 2011, anglers are allowed to harvest one, 20-inch or larger smallmouth per day from June 1 through October 15. Five, 18-inch or larger smallmouth are allowed from October 16 through May 31. The harvest of largemouth and smallmouth bass is limited to five per day in combination.
Only one Age 1, 3-inch fish was collected indicating that reproduction may have been poor in 2010. Just one smallmouth over 20-inches was collected. Note that very small and large smallmouth are often difficult to collect via electrofishing. Eight percent of the fish netted were greater than 18-inches.
The smallmouth collected were all pre-spawn fish. Their condition as determined by relative weight analysis was less than ideal.
You may wish to view the presentation posted on the Norris Lake Fisheries Advisory Committee page for a complete summary of the status of Norris Lake's fisheries.
Mean-length-at-age for Norris Reservoir smallmouth collected in 2011
Mortality graph for Norris Reservoir smallmouth collected in 2011
