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Leonard Jirak's electro-fishing boat, the Glow Worm, helps the biologist to follow annual trends in bass and panfish populations.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Two common panfish, the redear, bottom, and the bluegill, were found in the Melvern River Pond shallows.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Biologist Leonard Jirak logs the length and weight of fish that were caught by electro-fishing.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Channel catfish up to 20 pounds, like this one held by biologist Leonard Jirak, are probably easier to catch in Kansas than ever before.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

All fish that were caught and for which statistics were logged were weighed in grams.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Measuring and weighing the fish that are caught while electro-fishing isn't always easy. It took three biologists to hold this 34-inch catfish still long enough for an accurate weight.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

John Tucker holds one of the largest bass found while electro-fishing at Melvern River Pond.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Fisheries specialist John Tucker measures the length of a big channel catfish.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Wildlife and Parks biologist Tom Swan swings a bass aboard the boat.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Stunned fish float to the surface after being shocked by 220 volts of electricity.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

A stunned redear sunfish floats on the surface. It eventually swam away.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Scott Rice of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers swings a large fish aboard while helping with electro-fishing Thursday morning at Melvern River Pond.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

A livewell kept fish healthy so they could be released after being weighed and measured.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

In the shallows to spawn and feed, largemouth bass are one of the most common fish found while electro-fishing.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

A nice-sized redear sunfish.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

All across Kansas, most public waters of any size are being sampled by electro-fishing.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

A water snake hurries to escape the jolt of an electro-fishing boat.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle

Biologists motor toward a brush pile while electro-fishing at Melvern River Pond.

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Michael Pearce / The Wichita Eagle