Individual differences in catchability of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides by fishing in an experimental pond

Individual differences in catchability of 65 largemouth bass by bait and lure fishing were investigated in all experimental pond. Ten fishing trials conducted every two clays revealed that the number of bass caught on each day decreased in the later investigation days. The total number of times all individual bass was caught throughout the experimental period varied between zero and eight times, and there were three cases in which the same individual was caught twice on the same day. From the fishing record, 34 of the 65 largemouth bass were classified into careful (8), learnable (10) and fishable (16) individuals. These results indicate the existence of both learning of the clanger of fishing and large individual differences in catchability by fishing and carefulness in largemouth bass.