Warner Lake: Using a Whole-Lake Acoustic Telemetry Array to Understand Largemouth Bass

In 2003, an acoustic telemetry array was installed in Warner Lake, a private lake owned by the Queen's University Biological Station. The system was a collaboration of Lotek Wireless and researchers from Queen's University and the University of Illinois. At the time, the array was the most advanaced system for determining the location of tagged fish within a contained lake environment. The array consisted of thirteen hydrophones and over a five area period, 50+ largemouth bass were tagged. The system used CDMA techonology and was capable of near-realtime positioning of tagged fish for continuous periods of time. Studies were completed to understand seasonal and annual changes in movement patterns and swimming speeds, winter habitat selection and behaviour, and catch and release angling. Furthermore, the array was used as a testing ground for new telemetry technologies and data processing techniques. Overall, the array revealed several significant findings about largemouth bass movement and behaviour, especially during the winter.