Tellico Electrofishing 2008
Sampling dates: May 1 - 2, 2008
Species collected in survey (12 runs, 3.0 hrs total effort):
Black Crappie = 4
White Crappie = 34
Largemouth Bass = 168
Smallmouth Bass = 9
Spotted Bass = 107
We collected 323 fish while electrofishing various areas of Tellico in 2008. The catch rate of largemouth and white crappie improved slightly in 2008 while the catch of spotted bass decreased. Only 14.3 % of the largemouth bass were greater than the 14-inch minimum length limit.
It will be a few years years before we can determine if the new 18-inch minimum size limit has a beneficial effect on the smallmouth bass population. We did not collect any smallmouth greater than 16-inches in 2008.
Spotted bass continue to be abundant throughout the reservoir and anglers are encouraged to harvest this species for the table. They rarely grow to a quality size and compete for food and habitat with the larger and more popular smallmouth and largemouth bass.
An unusually colored channel catfish collected from Tellico Reservoir in 2007
Largemouth bass length frequency
Largemouth bass catch rates
Spotted bass length frequency
Spotted bass catch rates
White crappie length frequency
White crappie catch rates
A Tellico Reservoir flathead/yellow catfish
