Dispelling Assumptions about Stocked-Trout Fisheries and Angler Satisfaction

Abstract

We investigated three assumptions about stocked-trout fisheries: (1) stocking densities (trout/km or trout/ha) correlate with angler catch rates, (2) catch rates decline with time after stocking, and (3) angler satisfaction correlates with catch rates. We interviewed 5,689 anglers on 14 put-and-take trout waters in Virginia from October 2013 to May 2014 and from October 2014 to May 2015 to assess their fishing effort for stocked trout, catch, and level of satisfaction with their fishing experience that day. Stocking density did not affect the stocked-trout catch rate on streams or lakes, and catch rates remained relatively constant from the day after stocking up to 1 month after stocking. The type of water body affected both angler effort and catch rate. We found that catch rates above thresholds (0.46 trout/angler-hour on lakes; 1.21 trout/angler-hour on streams) had minor effects on angler satisfaction, but below those threshold values, satisfaction increased greatly with increasing catch rates on both lakes and streams. Given the concerns over increasing costs to maintain stocking programs, our results suggest that agencies could reduce their stocking densities and frequencies without appreciably reducing angler satisfaction.

Received January 13, 2016; accepted July 17, 2016 Published online November 10, 2016

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project was provided by Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. We thank our many creel clerks and data technicians as well as Vic DiCenzo for his help and friendly reviews along the way.