Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission Biologist Report

Rose Valley Lake Lycoming County

May 2015 Night Electrofishing Survey

Rose Valley Lake is a 389 acre lake located about 15 miles north of Williamsport, Lycoming County. The lake is owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is managed and maintained by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission for public fishing and boating. Boating is restricted to un-powered boats and those using electric motors only. Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass at Rose Valley Lake are managed under Big Bass program special regulations while all other species are managed under statewide regulations. Walleye fingerlings are stocked annually.

During the week of May 19, 2015, personnel from Fisheries Management Area 3 conducted a Largemouth Bass survey as a routine examination of the population. Nighttime boat electrofishing was conducted at three sites. All Largemouth Bass were measured for total length and released. The relative abundance of Largemouth Bass was determined using catch per hour of electrofishing effort.

A total of 112 Largemouth Bass were collected, ranging from 7 to 22 inches in length (Figure 1). The Rose Valley Lake catch rate of Largemouth Bass ≥12 inches was 45.0 fish/hr in 2015 compared to an average catch rate of 68.3 fish/hr for the lake since 1997. The catch rate of Largemouth Bass ≥15 inches was 11.0 fish/hr compared to an average catch rate of 9.9 fish/hr (Table 1, Figure 2). Most (59%) of the bass captured in 2015 were 10-12 inches in length and should provide good bass fishing opportunities in 2016. In addition to bass, Rose Valley Lake also continues to provide excellent fishing opportunities for sunfish, Yellow Perch, and Walleye.

Figure 1: Length frequency distribution of Largemouth Bass collected in Rose Valley Lake on May 19, 2015.

Table 1: Catch rates of Largemouth Bass collected in Rose Valley Lake on May 19, 2015 compared to catch rates in previous years.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 22 23

Num

ber o

f Bas

s Col

lect

ed

Total length (inches)

Year Catch Rate (fish/hr) Total ≥ 12 inches ≥ 15 inches

1997 80.4 62.3 5.5 2003 105.6 81.9 6.9 2005 130.5 84.0 16.2 2015 112.0 45.0 11.0

Average 107.1 68.3 9.9

Figure 2: Catch rates of Largemouth Bass ≥ 15 inches in Rose Valley Lake since 1997.

5.5

6.9

16.2

11

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

1997 2003 2005 2015

Catc

h Ra

te (f

ish/

hr)

Year

A 17-inch Largemouth Bass captured during night electrofishing at Rose Valley Lake on May 19, 2015.

A robust female Bluegill captured at Rose Valley Lake during the week of May 19, 2015.

A large Yellow Perch captured during electrofishing at Rose Valley Lake during the 2015 survey.

--Fisheries Management Area 3