Field investigations involved live collections of the black basses Micropterus dolomieui Lacepede, M. punctulatus (Rafinesque), and M. salmoides (Lacepede). Basses were examined in the laboratory for helminth and copepod parasites in an effort to follow the quantitative and qualitative dispersions and fluctuations of these parasites as the water quality is effected by the water level fluctuations from a river to a reservoir environment. Standard and total length, weight, and scale samples were obtained to ascertain the effect of parasitism on the aging and growth rates of basses which may help explain why sport fishing declines after several years in recently impounded reservoirs effecting the recreational economy of the municipalities surrounding reservoirs. Parasitism were related to the whole food chain in an attempt to establish another parameter for water quality. The comparison of pre- and post-impoundment data was stressed. Results were also compared with other studies involving newly impounded reservoirs. (WRSIC abstract)