7144

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7144
• Author: Inslee, T. D.
• Title: Spawning and Hatching of the Razorback Sucker
• USFW Year: 1982
• USFW - Doc Type: Western Association of Fish & Game Agencies
• Copyright Material: NO

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and bluehead suckers, which were found in faster habitats in August
and September.
Colorado squawfish were caught during all months; they were most
common in runs in April, August, and September, and in backwaters in
May and July. Only one adult squawfish was collected in June which
makes habitat preference difficult to assess during that period.
Table 4 gives catch rates by seining effort for younger fishes,
by habitat type and month. Catch rates were highest in backwaters
during all sampling periods except September when the most fish were
caught in eddies. The September data ismisleadin9 because only one
eddy, covering 150 ft2, was sampled and 86 fish were caught. As men-
tioned above, riffles were very scarce in the study area and could not
be extensively sampled. The red shiner had the highest catch rates
for most sampling periods and were found in all habitats sampled.
Fathead minnows were also quite abundant, and were usually found in
backwaters. Speckled dace, young Colorado squawfish, and bluehead and
flannelmouth suckers were the most common native species in seine catches.
The dace and suckers were found in all habitats sampled most months,
whereas young squawfish were generally found in backwaters.
Two hundred and sixty-four adult fish were tagged during the study
(Table 5); two were recaptured. One flannelmouth sucker was tagged on
May 17 and recaptured on July 17 within a mile of the release point.
A bluehead sucker was released on July 17 and recaptured on August 14,
again near the release spot. A razorback sucker was recaptured on
April 11, 1979, that had been tagged by BIO/~JEST during another study

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