Design and utility of automatous, floating bait delivery platform for applying fish management baits

Using manufactured baits to attract fish to passive gear is common practice in fisheries management. The most common method is using hoop nets baited with soybean cakes or waste cheese to increase captures of multiple catfish species; however, these techniques are limited to how often bait is added, the type of bait, gear compatibility, and oversaturation of bait during soak time. The U.S. Geological Survey developed a technique to deliver various types of manufactured, pelleted baits over multiple scenarios and traditional passive gears. A floating platform designed with a dispenser can be constructed easily and allows for the automatic application of varying quantities and sizes of bait. Bait platforms can be modified for use in lakes and rivers where water fluctuations are common. Unlike traditional baiting techniques, these platforms can be positioned over or near any type of gear and release bait as many as nine times daily. Programmed release of bait multiple time a day can be useful to target fish activity during specific hours and can allow for sustained application without bait oversaturation or deterioration from long soak times. This report describes the design of a bait delivery platform developed for deployment in the Sandusky River in Ohio for the removal of Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes, 1844; grass carp) during 2021 and 2022.