BIOLOGIST REPORT
Glendale Lake
Area 3 Fisheries Management personnel returned to Glendale Lake for the week of June 4, 2001 to further sample fish populations. The target species during this early summer survey were largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed and black crappie. Largemouth bass were sampled by night electrofishing 8 stations that totaled 9,350 meters (approximately 5.8 miles) of shoreline. Panfish species were sampled by trapnets set overnight at 20 locations along the shoreline. The results of the survey are presented below.
The catch rates for largemouth bass were roughly equal to the Area 3 averages for all bass and for bass greater than 12 inches (Table 1). The catch rate for bass greater than 15 inches still lags behind the Area 3 average, even though it has improved slightly over previous surveys of Glendale Lake. Analysis of age and growth data for largemouth bass and comparison to program guidelines will determine if Glendale Lake is a candidate for inclusion in the Big Bass Program.
Table 1. Summary and comparison of the June 18 – 20, 2001 Largemouth Bass night electrofishing survey to previous Glendale Lake surveys and the Area 3 (north central PA) average.
| Inches | 1982 | 1995 | 2001 |
|
|
| 4 | 2 | 12 | |||
| 5 | 12 | ||||
| 6 | 4 | 22 | |||
| 7 | 17 | 184 | 36 | ||
| 8 | 16 | 248 | 71 | ||
| 9 | 4 | 50 | 21 | ||
| 10 | 4 | 50 | 9 | ||
| 11 | 2 | 150 | 32 | ||
| 12 | 80 | 37 | |||
| 13 | 12 | 21 | |||
| 14 | 2 | 8 | 15 | ||
| 15 | 2 | 4 | |||
| 16 | 1 | ||||
| 17 | 1 | ||||
| 18 | 1 | ||||
| 19 | |||||
| 20 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 52 | 832 | 247 | ||
| Hours of Electrofishing | 1.20 | 3.84 | 2.75 | Glendale Average | Area 3 Average* |
| Avg catch per Hour | 43.3 | 216.7 | 89.8 | 130.0 | 85.5 |
| Avg catch per Hour > 12” | 2.5 | 27.1 | 28.4 | 14.8 | 27.3 |
| Avg catch per Hour > 15” | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 5.8 |
Overall catches of bluegill and crappies appear to be good compared to the average for Area 3 (Table 2). There is a sharp decline for bluegills greater than 6 inches and crappies greater than 8 inches. This may be the result of alternating strong and weak year classes or angler harvest. The decision on implementation of any special panfish regulations will depend upon analysis of the age and growth data from the 2001 sample compared to program guidelines. However, the decision will be delayed pending the outcome of the new panfish creel limits proposal before the Commission which is open to public comment at this time.
Table 2. Trapnet catches of bluegill and crappie from 20 trapnet sets during the week of June 18, 2001. Values for desirable size fish (bluegill >= 6”, crappie >= 8”) are in parentheses.
| Length (inches) | Bluegills | Avg catch per trapnet set | Crappie | Avg catch per trapnet set |
| 2 | 8 | 0.4 | 1 | 0.1 |
| 3 | 33 | 0.8 | 4 | 0.2 |
| 4 | 33 | 0.8 | 4 | 0.2 |
| 5 | 68 | 3.4 | 39 | 2.0 |
| 6 | 411 | 20.6 | 265 | 13.3 |
| 7 | 267 | 13.4 | 152 | 7.6 |
| 8 | 2 | 0.1 | 78 | 3.9 |
| 9 | 15 | 0.8 | ||
| 10 | 7 | 0.4 | ||
| 11 | 1 | 0.1 | ||
| 12 | ||||
| 13 | 1 | |||
| Totals | 822 | 41.1 (34.1) | 567 | 28.4 (5.1) |
| Area 3 Avg* | 24.0 (13.1) | 23.7 (4.5) |
* - Area 3 contains the entire watershed of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in north central Pennsylvania.
Other fish captured in the June trapnets were a 41 in. purebred musky, 9 bowfin (a candidate for listing as a Pennsylvania threatened/endangered species) ranging from 17 to 32 inches, 20 walleye ranging from 11 to 24 inches, 1 northern pike, 55 pumpkinseeds, 12 yellow perch, 9 rock bass, 1 channel catfish, 17 brown bullheads, 6 yellow bullheads, 4 largemouth bass, 2 smallmouth bass, 3 white suckers, 14 common carp and 31 golden shiners.
The Area 3 Fisheries Management staff again wishes to express their appreciation for all the help and support provided by Prince Gallitzin State Park personnel.
-- Area 3
Biologist Reports -- PFBC Home
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Web Privacy and Security Policies