Abundance of juvenile crappie (Pomoxis spp.) was positively related to temporary floodwater storage at Lake Rathbun, Iowa. Regression analysis of crappie density on storage showed 0-age crappie increased 442 per hectare for each billion m 3-days of water stored above conservation pool from April through August. Abundance of 0-age crappie also was positively related to the numerical catch in the sport fishery 2 to 4 years later. Harvest was positively correlated with year-class strength; 93% of the variability in crappie harvest between years was explained by survival of young crappie 2 to 4 years previously. A rise in elevation of 1.2 m from April through early June would have a predicted benefit of 1.4 million dollars by increasing the crappie harvest by about 100,000 fish.
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Larry Mitzner (1981) studied this question.