Biologists from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) recently responded to fish kill reports at Sardis Lake. More than 97% of the fish affected were white bass. Biologists estimated that 73,510 white bass died during the kill.
Live fish were taken to the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine where the tentative cause of the kill was identified as columnaris disease, a condition caused by naturally occurring bacteria. Fish were also infected with Aeromonas, another common bacterium. Stress from spawning, low water levels, and overcrowding may have contributed to the kill. A similar kill occurred in 2008.
White bass first appeared in Sardis in 1998 as an illegal introduction by anglers. According to officials, white bass populations in the lake are expected to rebound quickly due to their high reproduction and growth rates.
source: Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks