| Summary: | 68 pgs. Surface and bottom trotlines were fished in upper and lower Laguna Madre to determine the catch of commercially important finfishes using natural, leaf, worm and cork baits. Trotlines were set twice a month during the day and night from September 1977 to August 1978. Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), red drum (Sciaenops ocellata) and black drum (Pogonias cromis) were the major commercial fishes caught in upper and lower Laguna Madre. Sea catfish (Arius felis), a scrap fish, was the most numerous fish caught. Catch rates for red drum, black drum, and spotted seatrout in both upper and lower Laguna Madre were all affected by type of set (bottom or top), time of set (day or night) and bait type. Interaction between these factors masked the effects of any one factor. It appears that red drum catches were significantly higher on top-night trotlines than on bottom-night trotlines. Red drum were caught on all bait types but did not appear to select one bait over another bait. Black drum appeared to select natural baits over leaf, vegetable, worm or cork baits. Spotted seatrout catch rates were so affected by interaction between types of set, time of set, and bait type that no specific generalization could be made concerning the effects of those factors on catch rates. http://gbic.tamug.edu/request.htm
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