Downstream Drift of Fishes in the Upper Mississippi River during Winter

Many moribund and dead fish were found drifting in the main channel of the Mississippi River during late winter. A total of 3,574 fish representing 37 species were collected with an effort of 214 net-days in the tailwater habitat below Lock and Dam 13 and Lock and Dam 14 of the Mississippi River during February 1984 and March 1985. Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens), and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) were the most abundant species, composing 87% of the total catch. Most of these were small fish, probably age 0 or age 1. Catch was not correlated with discharge, but was related to location of the net in the channel with more fish collected near the shores than the center.