Food of the Pelagic Young of Walleyes and Five Cohabiting Fish Species in Clear Lake, Iowa

Abstract

Food of the pelagic young of walleye (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum), yellow perch (Perca flavescens), yellow and white bass (Morone spp.), black and white crappies (Pomoxis spp.), spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius), and carp (Cyprinus carpio) captured concurrently in townet hauls in 1972 was compared with zooplankton samples. Each fish species differed slightly in food selection. Selective feeding by cohabiting pelagic larvae might have been a contributing factor to the strong walleye year class produced.