Fish surveys at Parker Canyon Lake in southern Arizona are indicating that the illegally introduced northern pike are negatively impacting bass, trout and sunfish populations, advised Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists.

Sampling efforts continued through February at the lake with gillnets. From December through February, 1,584 net hours or 66 net days were expended at the lake. Thirty-two northern pike were sampled ranging in length from 18 inches up to 30 and averaging 24 inches. Weights ranged from two pounds to just under eight pounds and averaged just under four pounds.

Tucson Regional Fisheries Specialist Don Mitchell said that stocked rainbow trout and largemouth bass continue to be the main prey items found in the diet of the sampled pike. The average length of trout found in pike stomachs was just under 8.5 inches and the largemouth bass averaged four inches long.

"Mature pike are once again showing signs of preparing for the spawn. To date, no evidence has been found that the pike successfully spawned last year. One female pike sampled in February 2001 appeared to have already spawned," Mitchell said.

Largemouth bass sampled during the last few months have ranged in length from 10 inches to 20 inches and had a mean length of 14.8 inches.

"There is still an obvious lack of juvenile largemouth bass in the population even though there was a large amount of reproduction observed during my September 2000 electrofishing survey. This lack of juvenile bass will make sustaining the population very difficult as anglers and natural mortality remove the adults," Mitchell said.

The surveys also reaffirmed the lack sunfish in the lake. "Only one bluegill, one redear and one green sunfish were sampled.

The apparent lack of sunfish in the lake is alarming for the same reason as the lack of largemouth bass. Without juvenile fish, the populations are not sustainable," Mitchell said.

Overall the fish populations have not changed much from last year. "The trends that I was seeing last year continue to express themselves this year. If the trends that I am observing continue, then a downward trend in angler satisfaction can be expected," Mitchell advised.

Arizona Game & Fish Department.

EDITOR: Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214, e-mail raikens@gf.state.az.us

or Frosty Taylor, (602) 789-3223, e-mail ftaylor@gf.state.az.us