February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

11
TIMING OF FALL SCHOOLING BEHAVIOR AND HARVEST OPPORTUNITY OF BAITFISH
FAT SLEEPER Dormitator maculatus IN COASTAL LOUISIANA
Albert P Gaudé III
Louisiana Sea Grant Program/ LSU AgCenter
Louisiana State University
479 F. Edward Hebert Boulevard
Belle Chasse, LA 70037 USA
agaude@agcenter.LSU.edu
Of the many marine bait species in Louisiana, one of the most notorious and sought is the fat sleeper minnow Dormitator
maculatus. The reputation of this baitfish is legendary in its ability to entice predatory gamefishes to take bait and eventually
be landed by recreational fishermen. Perhaps part of this reputation is the short seasonal availability of this species in the retail
bait markets.
Locally known as ‘storm minnows’, this species is only commercially harvested in fall climatic events which combine tidal
surges and rainfall. The fish respond by having large gregarious schools which congregate at points of constriction in estuarine
waterways. These schooling events are temporally and spatially unpredictable. Further limiting their availability on the bait
market, these schools are ephemeral, often lasting for only a few days. The annual occurrence of the temporary schools can
vary by more than a month.
Since the marine bait industry has loosely documented private records, the appearance of this schooling behavior is poorly understood.
In an effort to assist develop this species as a bait candidate, peripheral survey information from state agencies were
examined to correlate the presence of this species with prevailing climatic conditions. Specifically, population net samples and
stomach contents analysis were used.
Normally, secretive and illusive to sampling efforts, the appearance in the sampled water column and stomach contents of
predatory fishes gives some index of availability to the bait industry. Although far from precise, this injects some temporal
predictability into the harvest sector for this species.