Ozen, OzcanNoble, Richard L.2025-01-272025-01-2720050275-5947https://doi.org/10.1577/M04-036.1https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12428/12979Age-0 largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides were collected every 3 weeks from 1992 to 1994, every 6 weeks from 1995 to 1998, and about every 15 weeks from 1999 to 2000 by means of a handheld electrofisher in Lucchetti Reservoir, Puerto Rico. An extended hatching period (January to June) and a high (0.63-1.50-mm/d) juvenile daily growth rate required high sampling effort because age-0 largemouth bass recruited to the sampling gear between February and September. To assess whether the handheld electrofisher catch per unit effort (CPUE; fish/h) of age-0 largemouth bass was a reliable estimator of relative year-class abundance, we regressed the age-1 largemouth bass CPUE obtained with a conventional boat electrofisher between 1994 and 2001 on the CPUE of age-0 (<150-mm) fish from the previous years. Simple linear regression analyses indicated that as much as 90% (P < 0.01; N = 7) of the variation in age-1 CPUE could be explained by age-0 mean CPUE. Early variation of year-class abundance of largemouth bass can be detected efficiently with the handheld electrofisher, thereby allowing early evaluation of management options. © Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2005.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessAtlantic islands; Atlantic Ocean; Caribbean Islands; Greater Antilles; Lucchetti Reservoir; oceanic regions; Puerto Rico; World; Micropterus salmoides; age class; catch per unit effort; electrofishing; growth rate; population estimationArticle25116317010.1577/M04-036.12-s2.0-15944406052Q2