ANGLER BEHAVIOR STUDIES (1999)

We developed a longitudinal angler survey panel to assess future displacement or dropout caused by likely special regulation changes on several large Spokane River tributaries. Angler names and addresses were solicited via streamside interviews for a potential future survey, and anglers were subsequently invited via mail to participate in a long-term panel. A total of 408 anglers fishing on the St. Joe and Coeur d’Alene rivers eventually agreed to participate out of the 1046 anglers originally contacted. Only 278 (70%) of these anglers returned the first survey. The entire panel was comprised of mostly fly anglers (83%). However, a high proportion of Coeur d’Alene River respondents (51%) reported using all three gear types on the two streams in a typical year, while 29% reported doing so on the St. Joe River. Only 13% of respondent panelists had ever attended an Idaho Department of Fish and Game fisheries meeting. A minority of panelists liked to catch stocked hatchery trout on the two streams (34%-45%), and a slight majority of anglers (53%) supported reducing or eliminating stocking of hatchery trout in portions of the two rivers if ponds were constructed along the river and stocked with trout to harvest. The two most common reasons given by anglers opposed to this program included 1) angler preference for river fishing; and 2) anglers do not like ponds. In general, survey respondents had a somewhat positive impression of regional staff, and anglers were particularly supportive of Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s job as a wildlife steward and their level of public service. Because of the low panel participation rate relative to the total number of anglers contacted (26.5%), we recommend the panel effort be discontinued. However, to facilitate one-time opinion surveys, we recommend that biologists conducting structured creel survey counts on waters where future regulation or program changes are anticipated collect names and addresses of anglers during creel interviews. We quantified rates of bull trout and other species misidentification by anglers in three Idaho fisheries, including the Middle Fork Boise River, North Fork Boise River, and Arrowrock Reservoir. During streamside interviews, anglers were asked to recite current regulations for the water that they were fishing and to identify five different trout images using either color prints or fish mounts. We obtained a correct identification by the majority of anglers interviewed for only one of five species, the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss at 79.9%. Bull trout Salvelinus confluentus were correctly identified the least (29.2%), a value nearly identical to that of brook trout S. fontinalis. Identification rates for brown trout Salmo trutta and cutthroat trout O. clarki were intermediate at 39.2% and 43.5%, respectively. Only 64.5% of anglers were aware of the statewide no-harvest restriction for bull trout. Anglers in general regulation segments of the two streams were nearly as proficient in correctly identifying trout as anglers fishing the special regulation sections. Anglers in Arrowrock Reservoir were least able to correctly identify all species and were nearly three times as likely to incorrectly identify all species than anglers in other segments. Fly anglers were the most proficient at identifying five species of trout we presented (27.8%), but there is considerable room 1 S:\Schill 98 Report.doc for identification improvement in that group as well. Idaho Department of Fish and Game should begin developing educational tools to remedy the poor identification rates. Authors: Daniel J. Schill Principal Fisheries Research Biologist James A. Lamansky, Jr. Senior Fisheries Technician Elizabeth R. J. M. Mamer Fisheries Technician 2 S:\Schill 98 Report.doc