About

Chuck Cichra is a Professor and the Fisheries Extension Specialist at the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at the University of Florida. His fisheries career began in 1973 as a summer intern working on the biology and ecology of a native crayfish inhabiting small Michigan lakes. His academic background includes a B.S. in Zoology and an M.S. in Zoology with a focus on Fisheries Biology from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University. His doctoral research concentrated on fisheries management of small Texas reservoirs. With extensive experience in computer applications and applied statistics, Chuck has also worked as a full-time computer consultant for the Texas A&M University System. He joined the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in July 1986. His current work involves extension programs in pond and lake management and youth education, notably directing the 'Fishing for Success' program, which educates children from kindergarten through 12th grade about fishing and aquatic environments. His research and teaching focus on fish population sampling, fish ecology, and fisheries management.

Research topics

• Fishery
• Biology
• Environmental science
• Ecology
• Geography

Selected publications

• Fertilization of Fresh Water Fish Ponds

  EDIS · 2019-09-09 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This document outlines the principles and practices of fertilizing freshwater fish ponds to enhance their productivity. Fertilization, akin to its use in land-based agriculture, can significantly boost the production of small natural food-consuming fish species such as bluegill and golden shiner by increasing the availability of algae and zooplankton. This process not only supports small fish but also benefits larger predatory fish, like largemouth bass, by improving their food supply. Phosphorus is identified as the most critical nutrient, often supplemented with nitrogen for better results. The document discusses the forms and application methods of fertilizers, emphasizing liquid fertilizers for their rapid effectiveness. Practical guidelines for determining the timing and frequency of fertilization based on water temperature and clarity are provided, alongside techniques for applying both liquid and granular fertilizers efficiently. The document also addresses common challenges such as muddy water, aquatic weeds, water exchange, and low alkalinity, and offers solutions for each. Finally, it highlights the importance of a committed, long-term fertilization program to avoid inefficiencies and aquatic weed issues. First published June 1990.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Managing Florida Ponds for Fishing

  EDIS · 2015-10-10 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Florida has thousands of natural and man-made ponds which range in surface area from less than 1/10 acre to greater than ten acres. Man-made ponds include dug-out and impounded waters, limerock pits, and sand or gravel pits, commonly called borrow pits. Fishing pressure on public waters is increasing due to Florida's rapidly growing population and the growing interest in fishing as a source of recreation and food. Competition for public fishery resources, coupled with the high cost of transportation to go fishing, has resulted in an increased interest in fishing private waters that are closer to home. These private ponds must, therefore, be more intensively managed to maintain good quality fishing for the pond owner's personal recreation or as a source of income.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Use of Lime in Fish Ponds

  EDIS · 2013-08-08 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access

  Liming is an effective tool in fish production and pond management. However, lime is casually used to describe two different types of materials, used for very different purposes. Agricultural limestone refers to calcite (calcium carbonate) and dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate). The calcium and magnesium components raise the total hardness of water, essential to the health of many aquatic species. The carbonate component raises the total alkalinity and the pH, buffering daily fluctuations in pH, increasing microbial activity in the pond soil, and increasing the availability of phosphorous to phytoplankton. Pond water with total alkalinity less than 20 ppm can benefit from liming. Hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) is an inexpensive and effective pond sterilizer, raising the pH quickly and dramatically above tolerable levels for most aquatic organisms. It should be used carefully, avoiding contact to the applicator, and never used in ponds containing desirable fish. This document was published first time in June, 1997

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Movement and Habitat Selection of Largemouth Bass in a Florida Steep-sided Quarry Lake

  2005-01-01

  article

  The movement and habitat selection of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoi- des) was determined in a north-central Florida lake from 18 April 2002 to 1 May 2003 via radio telemetry. The study site was a steep-sided, 7-ha flooded limerock quarry, composed of six conjoined sub-basins. Twelve largemouth bass were internally im- planted with radio transmitters (of no more than 18% of the total length of the fish). Limnetic areas were selected over littoral areas during the summer (May through Oc- tober) and fall/winter (November through January) periods. Only one fish used littoral areas more than limnetic areas during this time. In the spring (February through April), habitat use switched. Sunken trees were the only structural habitat significantly used by largemouth bass (P < 0.05). Other structural habitats (aerators, feeders, fish attractors, and humps and boulders) had neutral preference values. Areas within 5 m of the shore- line were strongly avoided (P < 0.05). Home range was positively correlated with days sampled, but not total length and weight of fish. Home range varied from 0.56 to 4.84 ha, with means of 3.04 ha for all fish, and 4.09 ha for the five fish that were tracked over the entire study. No seasonal trends were evident in home range size. One fish established a separate home range from 9 January to 18 February 2003; after which it returned to its previous range. Fish exhibited constant movement during diel sampling periods, often moving between sub-basins. No day/night differences in movement or habitat preference were detected. It is speculated that the largemouth bass fed primarily on open water prey. Increasing structural habitat may not measurably increase angler catch rates for largemouth bass in steep-sided lakes where open water prey are the prin-

  Publisher

• Prey Vulnerability to Peacock Cichlids and Largemouth Bass Based on Predator Gape and Prey Body Depth

  2004-01-01 · 31 citations

  article

  The interaction of prey fish body depth and predator gape size may produce prey assemblages dominated by invulnerable prey and excessive prey-to-predator bio- mass ratios. Peacock cichlids (Cichla ocellaris) were stocked into southeast Florida canals to consume excess prey fish biomass, particularly spotted tilapia (Tilapia mari- ae). The ecomorphologically similar largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) was al- ready present in the canals. We present relations of length-specific gape size for pea- cock cichlids and largemouth bass. Both predators have broadly overlapping gape size, but largemouth bass ≥126 mm total length have slightly larger gape sizes than peacock cichlids of the same length. Also, we experimentally tested the predictions of maximum prey size for peacock cichlids and determined that a simple method of measuring gape size used for largemouth bass also is appropriate for peacock cichlids. Lastly, we deter- mined relations of body depth and length of prey species to investigate relative vulnera- bility. Using a simple predator-prey model and length frequencies of predators and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus), and spotted tilapia prey, we documented that much of the prey biomass in southeast Florida canals is unavailable for largemouth bass and peacock cichlid predation.

  Publisher

• Accuracy of Angler-Reported Harvest in Roving Creel Surveys

  North American Journal of Fisheries Management · 2004-08-01 · 23 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract Harvest data obtained during roving creel surveys are often based on angler-reported information without validation. Angler creels were inspected following interviews during roving creel surveys on three Florida lakes. Comparisons between reported and counted harvest revealed significant differences for anglers targeting sunfish Lepomis spp. (22% error) and black crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus (7% error). Differences were negligible for anglers targeting sunshine bass (female white bass Morone chrysops × male striped bass M. saxatilis), palmetto bass (male white bass × female striped bass), and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. Accuracy among species was inversely related to bag limit size; this was attributed to a combination of factors, including species, number and size of fish harvested, limit-conscious behavior of anglers, and differences among angler groups. Accuracy within species was not significantly influenced by the reported number of fish harvested or trip duration, nor was the interaction of the two significant. Daily total harvest estimates based on reported data were biased for sunfish (19% error) and black crappies (5% error), but correction factors were effective in reducing total errors to 2% for both species. Inspection of creels is recommended for all roving creel survey interviews when accuracy is critical to meeting study objectives. When moderate accuracy is sufficient, angler-reported harvest may be used if validated or adjusted with a correction factor if found to be inaccurate.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Comparative patterns of occupancy by decapod crustaceans in seagrass, oyster, and marsh-edge habitats in a Northeast Gulf of Mexico estuary

  Estuaries · 2003-10-01 · 77 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Fish Fingerlings: Purchasing, Transporting, and Stocking

  EDIS · 2002-07-07 · 3 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Finding a source of fish fingerlings (young fish) is the first step towards successful fish production. Following that, transporting the fish, and proper stocking procedures are necessary. Some of the most important considerations relating to fingerling purchasing, transporting, and stocking are reviewed in this document. First published June, 1991

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• PREDATION BY BLUEGILL (LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS) ON LARVAL CHIRONOMIDAE (DIPTERA) IN RELATION TO MIDGE STANDING CROP IN TWO CENTRAL FLORIDA LAKES

  Florida Entomologist · 2002-06-01 · 13 citations

  articleOpen access

  Large swarms of non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) emanating from some central Florida lakes can cause severe nuisance and economic problems for businesses, residents, and visitors within the dispersal range of these insects (Ali 1995). Midges are also a cause of allergies to humans (Cranston 1995). Because of these problems, a systematic research program on the bionomics and management possibilities of midge populations in central Florida has continued for the past two decades (Ali 1996). As a part of this program, a preliminary investigation of fish predation on chironomid midge larvae for the biological control perspective of midges was conducted. Midge predatory fish (bluegill,Lepomis macrochirus) were collected from two lakes on four occasions to elucidate any relationships between consumption of midge larvae by these fish and the associated larval composition and distributions in the lakes. Information concerning fish predation on midge larvae, species or habitat specific, would be useful in devising new control strategies. Fish were collected (May 1999, July, September and December 2000) from Lakes Dora and Yale (Lake County, Florida) by electrofishing under permit from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Collections were made between 0830 and 1200 h and up to twenty fish were collected from near-shore areas. Fish were identified and killed immediately, maintained on ice while transported to the laboratory, and stored at -10?C until examined. For examination, each fish was thawed and the foregut was dissected (Bowen 1996), and the contents transferred to 4-dram vials containing 70% ethanol. Gut contents were examined under variable magnification of a dissecting microscope and enumerated. Chironomidae head capsules and associated fragments were wet mounted on slides and examined at 400x magnification using a phase-contrast microscope and identified to lowest possible taxonomic level using the keys of Epler (1995). Only head capsules with sufficient morphological features remaining for identification were counted for gut content enumeration, other fragments were used to improve identification where possible. Five to 20 fish were successfully collected per sampling occasion (Table 1). Midge larvae of the tribe Tanytarsini (>90% Cladotanytarsus spp.) were most numerous in gut contents of fish from both lakes (Table 1), comprising 55.9-62.8% of total consumed midge larvae from Lake Dora and 4.8-48.1% from Lake Yale. Geoldichironomus spp. larvae were the next most common in the gut contents of fish from Lake Dora (0.0-27.5% of total larval chironomids). Other midge larvae consumed by fish from Lake Dora included Chironomus crassicaudatus, Glyptotend ipes paripes, Cryptochironomus spp., Pseudochironomus spp. and Tanypodinae. Seasonal mean number of total midge larvae in fish gut contents ranged from 4.7 to 44.0. Midge larvae were present in the gut contents of all fish from Lake Dora, except those collected in December 2000, when 40% of collected fish had empty guts. This was likely due to low water temperatures reducing feeding activity, as suggested for bluegill during winter months by Gilinsky (1984). Pseudochironomus spp. larvae were the second most prevalent midge larvae in the fish gut contents of Lake Yale, forming up to 46.2% of total midge larvae, followed by C. crassicaudatus (collected only during May 1999), G. paripes, Cryptochironomus spp., and Tanypodinae. Seasonal mean number of larvae per fish in Lake Yale ranged between 1.0 and 18.9. Bluegill feeding on midge larvae in Lake Yale was also reduced during December 2000, though only one fish had an empty gut. Other food items identified from fish in these two lakes included immature Insecta (Odonata, Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera), Crustacea (Decapoda, Amphipoda and Ostracoda), Nematoda, Oligochaeta, Gastropoda, and some unidentifiable material. These food items numerically were only a small part of total gut contents in most fish examined (data not shown). To estimate relative selective feeding by bluegill on examined chironomid larvae, percent composition of chironomid larvae in gut contents of collected fish was compared to overall percent composition of chironomid larvae in study lakes and percent composition of midge larvae in the nearshore areas with firm sediments representative of the areas from where the fish were caught, collected concurrently and reported by Lobinske (2001) (Fig. 1). In Lake Dora, Tanytarsini were most common, exhibiting similar percent compositions in fish gut contents in the entire lake as well as in nearshore areas. During July, Septem-

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Culture of Hybrid Tilapia: A Reference Profile

  EDIS · 2002-07-07 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The goal of most fish farmers is to maximize production and profits while holding labor and management efforts to the minimum. Risk of fish kills, disease outbreaks, poor water quality, and reduced feed conversion often result when efforts to increase production are unsupported by improved management strategies. This document is about aeration. This is a process that offers the most immediate and practical solution to water quality problems encountered at higher stocking and feeding rates. Aeration may be broadly classified into two different applications, emergency aeration and maintenance aeration. First published June, 1991.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Craig A. Watson

  University of Florida

  3 shared

• Andy M. Lazur

  2 shared

• William J. Lindberg

  2 shared

• Jeffrey E. Hill

  University of Florida

  2 shared

• Jerome V. Shireman

  2 shared

• M.V. McGee

  Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

  1 shared

• Daniel E. Canfield

  University of Helsinki

  1 shared

• Carter R. Gilbert

  Florida Museum of Natural History

  1 shared