Distribution of Black Bass in Tributary Streams of the Middle Chattahoochee River, Georgia and Alabama

The middle Chattahoochee River has been designated as an area of focus for the conservation of Shoal Bass (Micropterus cataractae) by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The Shoal Bass is a fluvial specialist, yet many of the remaining populations of Shoal Bass are affected by the non-native generalist Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus) through competition, predation, and introgression. Other threats include: a loss of habitat from impoundments, urbanization, and poor land use practices causing erosion, sedimentation, channelization, and altered hydrology. Presence/Absence sampling was conducted on selected tributaries from Atlanta, GA downstream to the headwaters of Walter F. George Reservoir using a canoe-mounted DC Electrofishing unit with a backpack-type electrode pole. Effort consisted of 15 minute transects along selected reaches of tributaries and GPS locations were recorded at the start and end of each transect. Electrofishing was conducted on 13 middle Chattahoochee River tributaries in Alabama and Georgia with a total of 159 transects and an average of 8 transects per reach. Mesohabitats of runs, pools, and shoals were estimated for each transect. Shoal Bass were only abundant in Flat Shoals Creek and Mulberry Creek in Georgia and Spotted Bass were gathered in all sampled tributaries.