Results and Evaluation of An Aerial Creel Survey Technique On Lake Sharpe, South Dakota

133 Pages·2016·9.17 MB·English

by  Bruce R. Schmidt

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1975
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RESULTS AND EVALUATION OF .I\N i·.ERIAL CREEL SliRVEY
TECHNIQUE ON LAKE SHARPE, SOUTH DAKOTA
. '
BY
BRUCE R. SCHMIDT
A thesis sJbmitted
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree Master of Science, Major in vJildlife and
Fisheries Science, South Dakota
State University
l C/i'j
RESULTS AND EVALUATION OF AN AERIAL CREEL SURVEY
TECHNIQUE ON LAKE SHARPE, SOUTH DAKOTA
This thesis is approved as a creditable and independent investi-
gation by a candidate for the degree, Master of Science, and is
acceptable as meeting the thesis requirements for this degree. Accept-
ance of this thesis does not imply that the conclusions reached by the
candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department.
1nes1s f\OVJ.ser ua l.e"'
Head, Wildlife and Fisheries uate
Science Department
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Funds for the Lake Sharpe creel survey project ,iere prc·.;ided L,
North Central Reservoir Investigations, U. S. Fish and \-JildLfe Ser­
vice, Yankton, South Dakota, and were administered by the South Dakota
Cooperative Fishery Research Unit at South Dakota State University,
Brookings, South Dakota. My particular thanks go to Dr. Nor,,,an G.
Benson, Director, North Central Reservoir Investigations, Dr. Richard
L. Applegate, Assistant Unit Leader, and Dr, Donald C. Hales, Unit
Leader, who also served as major adviser,
South Central Reservoir Investigations, Fayetteville, J..rkansas,
and particulcrly Mr, David Morais, provided information concerning the
design of the creel surveys on Bull Shoals and Beaver reservoirs, and
helped to set up the original sampling schedule for the Lah Sharpe
survey. Their assistance is appreciated.
Dennis L. Tol and J. Antony Rose served as cre�l clerks, and
Rebecca Riesselrnan prepared many of the figures. Their helr is
gratefully acknowledged.
Finally: thanks go to my wife, Jackie, who pre:)ared the stud;,
area niap and who patiently put up with my 13 months of field r.1ork 200
miles from home.
BRS
ABSTRACT
A creel survey, consisting of two independent surveys, was con­
ducted on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota from May, 1973, through flay, 1974.
An aerial fisherman count was used to estimate fishing pressure and
an angler interview survey was used to estimate catch rates, mean
party size, mean fishennan day, and residence of the anglers. The
results of the two surveys were combined to estimate harvest. The
separate surveys allowed optimum stratification and allocation of
sampling effort for each, Estimated fishing pressure was 32,643
fisherman-hours, 2:_ 9,60% at the 95% confidence level, and the total
estimated harvest was 113,800 fish, + 12,46%, weighing 7,36 x 104 kg
(81,05 tons). The mean catch rate for the entire survey was 0.33 fish
per fisherman-hour. The survey produced final estimates of catch
statistics with a relatively small amount of manpower well within the
range of accuracy needed for management decisions. The methods used
n·ay prove to be applicable to many other large, open reservoirs with
numerous access points.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION . 1
STUDY AREA 3
METHODS 7
The Aerial Survey . 7
The Angler Interview Survey l]
15
Calculations
ttESULTS AND DISOJSSIONS 20
Fishing Pressure 20
Catch Rates . . . . 27
Harvest . . . . . 40
Trip Length, Party Size, and Residence 49
Method Evaluation 54
SUMMARY 63
LITERATURE CITED .
APPENDIX A
Fortran IV computer program used to analyse the
creel survey data from Lake Sharpe, South Dakota . . . , ,
APPENDii. "i::,
s�pplemental data, Lake Sharpe creel survey . . . . . . . .
APPENDIX C
Individual species catch rates within each month,
zone, and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South
Dakota, May, 1973, through flay, 1974 • • . • . . . QO
APPENDIX D
Estimated harvest in numbers of individual species
within each month, zone, and type of fishing, Lake
Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . . . . 113
I
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Number of counting flights scheduled each month
on Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973 through
fv1a y , 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . · · · · · · 9
2. Species of fish, in order of numerical abundance,
in the sport fishery of Lake Sharpe, South Dakota,
May, 1973 through May, 1974 • • • . • • • . . • . • 21
3. Estimated total fishing pressure (fisherman-hours)
by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South
Dakota, June 1, 1973 through M3y 31, 1974 . . . . . 22
4. Average catch rate (fish per fisherman-hour) for all
species by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe,
South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 • 28
5. Estimated harvest and percent of total harvest in
numbers and weight, by species, Lake Sharpe, South
Dakota, June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 • . . 41
6. Estimated total harvest of all species combined by
zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota,
June 1, 1973 through May 31, 1974 . . . • . . , • . . 44
7. Percentage of walleye in the total harvest by zone
and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1,
1973 through May 31, 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
8. Average weight (grams) of walleye and number
observed by month, zone, and typl= of fishing,
Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973 through
y,1 974
t4a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • • • • 48
9. Estimated monthly harvest of walleye (numbers and
grams) by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe,
South Dakota, May, 1973 throug� May, 1974 . . • . 50
10. Average weight (grams) of all species except walleye
from Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1, 1973 through
May 31, 1974 • • . • . . • . . . . . . . . . . . 52
11. Percentage of nonresident fishing parties by zone and
type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, June 1,
1973 through May 31, 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1. Lake Sharpe study area • 4
2. Angler interview form 14
3,
Estimated monthly fishing pressure by zone, Lake
Sharpe, South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 24
4. Estimated monthly fishing pressure by zone and type
1973,
of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota, May,
through May, 1974, • . • . . . • • . • • . . 25
5, Estimated average monthly catch rate for all species
combined by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe,
South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . • . . . 29
6, Estimated monthly total catch rate by species for
boat and shore fishing in each zone, Lake Sharpe,
South Dakota, May, 1973, through May, 1974 . • . 32
7. Estimated monthly catch rate for walleye by zone
and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota,
May, 1973, through May, 197& . . . . . • • . 34
s. Estimated monthly catch rate for channel catfish
by zone and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South
Dakota, 1-\3.y, 1973, througr. !·ay, 1974 . • . • • . 35
9 , Estimated monthly catch rate for white bass by zone
and type of fishing, Lake � 1rpe, South Dakota, May,
10. Estimated monthly fishing pressure compared to
monthly catch rate for all species for boat and
shore fishing in each zon�, r.ake Sharpe, South
Dakota, May, 1973, througt .'-L1. y, 1974 • • • . . . 39
11. Estimated monthly harvest of all species by zone
and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe, South Dakota,
May, 1973, through May, 1974 . • • • • • . . • . 43
12, Estimated monthly harvest by species for boat and
shore fishing in all zones, Lake Sharpe, South
Dakota, May, 1973, through Miy, 1974 • , , • , , , . , . . 46
Figure Page
13, Average angler day by month, zone and type of
fishing, Lake Sharp. e,. S. ou. th. Dakota, May. , . 19. 73. , . . . . .
53
through "1a y, 1974
14, Average number of fishermen per party by month,
zone, and type of fishing, Lake Sharpe,. S. ou. th. . . . . . .
55
Dakota, "1ay, 1973, through May, 1974
1
INTRODUCTION
Obtaining accurate information regarding sport fishing pressure
and harvest has always been a problem for fishery management agencies.
The problems are compounded as the size of the water under investi­
gation increases, and reach a maxirr.um on the large, open reservoirs
which are now common in all of the major river systems in the United
States.
Fry (undated), Solman (1951), and Currier (1956) described the
early develoµnent and application of the various methods used to
measure sport fishing activity and success. The trend in creel survey
design has been toward survey systems which accurately measure fishing
activity with the least sampling effort. Statistically sound sampling
methods came into use in the 1950's and provided not only precise
estimates of fishing pressure and success, but also measurements of the
accuracy of the estimates.
The expansion of fisherman counts is one useful method for esti­
mating fishing pressure. Fisherman counts can be made on any body of
water that can be covered in a relatively short period of time. On
large reservoirs, however, counting by conventional means is impos­
sible. Neuhold and Lu (1957) suggested using an airplane to count
fishermen on large bodies of water.
Eschmeyer, et al. (1946) reported using an airplane in addition to
boats for making counts, but indicated that the counts from the boats
were more reliable because of heavy shoreline vegetation. Counts