Observations of Physical and Environmental Characteristics of Suwannee Bass Spawning in a Spring-Fed Florida River

Abstract We describe physical and environmental characteristics associated with Micropterus notius (Suwannee Bass) spawning in the Ichetucknee River, FL. We located 24 Suwannee Bass nests from March to June (75% found May and June). Nests were found in relatively shallow waters (mean = 95 cm) with substrates dominated by organic material (63%). Suwannee Bass nests were located near cover, in low-flow areas (mean velocity = 0.01 m/s), and at a mean temperature of 21.7 °C. We did not detect any relationships from regressions between the frequency of nesting and temperature, photoperiod, river stage, discharge or lunar cycle. Ninety-two percent of nests contained submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), which are likely important to nesting areas as stream-velocity refuges that reduce sediment wash-in and egg disturbance during spawning. Descriptions of spawning habitat of this range-restricted species have implications for conservation and management decisions.