Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Biologist Report

Frances Slocum Lake Luzerne County

2018 Muskellunge Survey

Area 4 biologists conducted annual Muskellunge netting at Frances Slocum Lake during the week of April 9, 2018. This work was part of an on-going, multi-year, statewide study. We set 20 trap nets and caught 7 Muskellunge. Muskellunge catch rate was 0.015 per hour. The size of Muskellunge ranged from 31.1 to 44.7 inches in length, with the largest fish (Figure 1) weighing 33.2 pounds. The 2018 catch rate was slightly above the 0.01 per hour that Pennsylvania's Muskellunge Plan requires for continued stocking. However, it was well below the 2017 value of 0.04 per hour. Weather was the main reason for the difference in catch rates. In 2018, water temperatures were much colder than in 2017 and the Muskellunge were still in winter mode when we sampled. Part of this work involves marking Muskellunge with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. Over the years we’ve marked 26 individual Muskellunge at Frances Slocum Lake. The lengths and weights of these fish in each year (Table 1) provide some interesting information about growth rates. In 2018, four of the seven Muskellunge we captured were fish that were never caught before. In 2017, we noted that the size distribution of crappies at Frances Slocum Lake had improved from previous years. That trend continued in 2018. Most of the crappies we caught this year were good sized fish and some individuals exceeded 14 inches long.

Table 1. Lengths and weights of Muskellunge at Frances Slocum Lake from 2013 to 2017.

Length (Inches) Weight (Pounds) Tag Number Sex 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 2013 2015 2016 2017 2018 982000359669246 Female 20.9 38.4 2.3 15.8 982000359669304 Female 27.9 32.2 34.1 6.5 9.5 13.0 982000359669288 Female 40.6 44.7 19.4 33.2 982000359669253 Male 34.7 36.1 36.8 12.3 13.2 14.6 982000359669316 Male 36.8 17.5 982000359669322 Female 28.1 32.7 6.7 9.9 982000359669234 Female 35.3 39.1 15.0 22.2 982000359669242 Female 25.8 4.4 982000359669289 Female 19.0 35.2 1.4 13.1 982000359669239 Male 35.6 37.0 15.8 17.6 982000359669258 Male 33.8 35.9 10.1 13.7 982000359669240 Female 33.8 37.1 11.0 15.1 982000359669238 Male 30.8 33.1 9.1 10.0 982000359669310 Male 33.4 36.0 10.6 15.9 982000359669321 Female 32.7 35.5 10.4 12.5 982000359669263 Female 50.2 45.2 982000359669286 Male 34.2 35.1 35.8 12.8 12.9 15.4 982000359669228 Female 32.9 10.1 982000359669284 Female 34.3 36.9 11.7 14.2 982000359669257 Female 37.3 17.3 982000359669225 Male 36.9 12.6 982000359669232 Female 26.3 5.6 982000359669235 Female 35.6 13.1 982000359669267 Female 34.1 12.2 982000359669274 Male 31.1 11.0 982000359669281 Male 37.3 15.4

Blank values mean the individual was not captured that year.

A 44.7-inch Muskellunge captured at Frances Slocum Lake in 2018.

Rob Wnuk Area 4 Fisheries Manager