Evaluation of Fish Passage at the Yorkville Dam Bypass Channel Demonstrates Smallmouth Bass Home Range Fidelity

In 2010 a fish and watercraft bypass channel was opened at the Yorkville Dam on the Fox River in Northeastern Illinois. The 250 m long, 30 m wide channel was constructed with grouted boulders and cobble to mimic natural riffle and pool conditions.  In 2011 and 2012, fish were collected by boat electrofishing from upstream of the dam, marked with Floy tags and released downstream of the dam.  A total of 7 one-hour electrofishing runs were conducted for marking and recapture. One hundred thirty-six Smallmouth Bass, 53 Channel Catfish, and 18 Flathead Catfish from upstream of the dam were marked and released downstream of the dam.  Nine tagged Smallmouth Bass were recaptured upstream of the dam; 6 by electrofishing and 3 by a local angler.  The size range for recaptured Smallmouth Bass was 300 to 400 mm. No tagged Channel Catfish or Flathead Catfish were collected upstream of the dam; however, one 840 mm Flathead Catfish marked and released 8 km downstream of the dam as part of a different study was recaptured upstream of the dam.  Smallmouth Bass exhibited home range fidelity which was useful in evaluating passability of the constructed channel.