Ecology of the Missouri River. Progress Report, Dingell-Johnson Project F-75-R-19, Supplement 1- Missouri River Creel Survey, Camp Creek to Kansas State Line, 31 March through 12 October 2001

Authors

Gerald Mestl, Nebraska Game and Parks CommissionFollow

Date of this Version

5-2002

Document Type

Article

Citation

Mestl, G. E. 2002. Ecology of the Missouri River. Progress Report, Dingell-Johnson Project F-75-R- 19, Supplement 1- Missouri River Creel Survey, Camp Creek to Kansas State Line, 31 March through 12 October 2001, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln.

Comments

Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration, Dingell-Johnson I Wallop-Breaux Project, F-75-R-19, 1 March 2001 through 28 February 2002

Fisheries Division, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, June, 2002

Abstract

This report describes Missouri River activities and results related to a channelized Missouri River creel survey conducted from 31 March through 12 October 2001. This is the second 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 22,000 hours fishing the Missouri River from Camp Creek (rkm 883.5) to the Kansas state line (rkm 790.2) during the survey period. Effort peaked during the fourth creel period (6/23 - 7/20) and was highest in the Brownville segment. Anglers targeted catfish (blue, channel and flatheads) over 75% of the time that they were fishing. Wing dikes were the most commonly fished macro habitat, accounting for over 32% of the total angling effort. Anglers caught over 8,000 and harvested over 4,000 fish from 31 March through 12 October while fishing the Missouri River. Over 50% of the catch occurred between 23 June and 17 August with almost 50% from Camp Creek down river to Rock Creek. Total catch rates ranged from 0.22 fish per hour during the third (5/26 - 6/22) creel period to 0.88 fish per hour during the first creel period (3/31 - 4/27). Channel catfish were the most abundant species in the creel followed by flathead catfish, common carp, shovel nose sturgeon and freshwater drum.