Ecology of the Missouri River: Missouri River Creel Survey, Bellevue Bridge to Camp Creek, 31 March through 12 October 2007. Supplement I

Authors

Gerald Mestl, Nebraska Game and Parks CommissionFollow

Date of this Version

3-2008

Document Type

Article

Citation

Mestl, G. E. 2006. Ecology of the Missouri River. Progress Report, Dingell-Johnson Project F-75-R-24, Supplement I - Missouri River Creel Survey, Camp Creek to Kansas state line, 1 April through 13 October 2006. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln.

Comments

Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration, Dingell-Johnson / Wallop-Breaux Project, F-75-R-25, 1 March 2007 through 29 February 2008

Abstract

This report describes Missouri River activities and results related to a channelized Missouri River creel survey conducted from 29 March through 10 October 2003. This is the fourth of a planned annual creel survey to be conducted on alternating sections of the channelized Missouri River to measure changes in recreational fishing activity, especially those changes due to large scale habitat restoration efforts. Future reports will contain additional analyses of these data.

Anglers spent over 30,000 hours fishing the Missouri River from Camp Creek (rk 883.5) to the Kansas state line (rk 790.2) during the survey period. Effort peaked during the third and fifth creel periods (5/24 - 6/20 and 7/19 - 8/15) with a large decline during the fourth creel period (6/21 - 7/18). The three most upstream river segments accounted for over 73% of the effort. Anglers targeted catfish (blue, channel and flatheads) almost 71% of the time that they were fishing. Inside bends were the most commonly fished macrohabitat, accounting for over 55% of the total angling effort.

Anglers caught almost 13,000 and harvested almost 6,100 fish from 29 March through 10 October 2003 while fishing the Missouri River. Catch peaked during the sixth creel period (8/16 - 9/12) with almost 50% of the annual catch occurring during those 28 days. Over 78% of the fish were caught in the three upstream river segments. Total catch rates ranged from 0.10 fish per hour during the second creel period (4/26 - 5/23) to 0.99 fish per hour during the sixth creel period (8/16 - 9/12). Channel catfish were the most abundant species in the creel followed by common carp, flathead catfish, and freshwater drum.