Distribution of Fishes in the Red River of the North Basin on Multivariate Environmental Gradients

Centrarchidae

Rock Bass

Ambloplites rupestris (Rafinesque), the rock bass, was collected by Woolman (1896) from the Maple, Sheyenne, and Red Lake Rivers where it was rare to common in the samples and was considered to be the only member of the Centrarchidae present in the Red River basin (Figure A58). Hankinson (1928) reported it from the Red and Pembina Rivers, and Olson (1932) collected a single specimen from the Red Lake River above Crookston. The rock bass has been collected primarily from the Red, Sheyenne, Otter Tail, Red Lake, Clearwater, and Roseau Rivers and the Wild Rice River in Minnesota. The species has been common overall, having been taken at 21% of the stream sites sampled in the basin since 1962 (Table 4). Typical site collections have consisted of 3-7 individuals, but as many as 44 have been taken at a site on the Roseau River, and 57 were taken from the Red Lake River near Crookston.

Figure A58. Distribution of the rock bass in streams of the Red River of the North basin.

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