Home Range Tendency of the Largemouth Bass (\u3ci\u3eMicropterus salmoides\u3c/i\u3e)

By repeated sampling of a population of largemouth bass, including individually marked fish, and by use of reference markers along the shoreline, the observance of a home range by the bass was demonstrated. Of 96 recaptures considered, 59% were recaptured within 100 ft, 83% within 200 ft, and 96% within 300 ft of the original point of capture. The extent of movement away from the initial point of capture did not increase with time. After being offshore over winter the bass again demonstrated a marked tendency to resume the use of the same segment of shoreline they had frequented the previous summer. Straying from the home range followed by return to it was also observed. Observations on the dispersion of bass along the shoreline are given