A long-term view of density-dependent recruitment in smallmouth bass from Nebish Lake, Wisconsin

In a closed population of smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieui during a 9-year period in Nebish Lake, Wisconsin, total egg production in spring, the percentage of constructed nests that receive eggs, and the mean number of eggs/nest were inversely related to spawning stock biomass. Yet, there was no relationship between total egg production or spawning stock biomass and total young-of-the-year production in autumn of the same year. Together, these results suggest that density-dependent processes regulate egg production, but not young-of-the-year production, in smallmouth bass.