Surveys of the chinook and coho salmon sport fisheries in the lower Naknek River, Alaska, 1995
By: by Dan O. Dunaway and Steve J. Fleischman.
Contributors: Fleischman, Steven J.; Alaska. Division of Sport Fish.
Series: Fishery data series -- no. 96-10.
Publisher: Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish, Research and Technical services
Published: 1996
Place of publication: Anchorage
Language: eng
Number of pages: 60
Subjects: Chinook salmon -- Alaska -- Naknek River -- Statistics.; Coho salmon -- Alaska -- Naknek River -- Statistics.; Fishing surveys -- Alaska -- Naknek River.; Fishing -- Alaska -- Naknek River -- Statistics.
Description: A roving creel survey was conducted on the sport fishery in the lower Naknek River near King Salmon, Alaska from 1 June through 31 August 1995. Emphasis was on the chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch fisheries. Anglers were counted and interviewed to estimate 27,506 (SE = 1,360) angler-hours of effort during the chinook salmon fishery (1 June to 31 July); the seasons catch and harvest of chinook salmon were estimated to be 4,238 (SE = 339) and 3,537 (SE = 293) fish, respectively. The estimated catch per hour for chinook salmon was 0.170 (SE = 0.007). An estimated 48.1% (SE = 3.2%) of the daily trips resulted in a catch of at least one chinook salmon; at least one chinook salmon was harvested during 45.5% (SE = 3.0%) of angler trips. The first chinook salmon harvested among all daily harvests produced 69.3% (SE = 5.3%) of the total harvest during the survey. Age-1.3 and -1.4 chinook salmon composed 32.3% (SE = 2.2%) and 46.0% (SE = 2.4%) of the sport harvest, respectively. An estimated 14,365 (SE = 709) angler-hours were expended during the coho salmon fishery (22 July to 31 August); catch and harvest were estimated to be 3,190 (SE = 441) and 3,037 (SE = 419) fish, respectively. Catch per hour of coho salmon was 0.186 (SE = 0.016). At least one coho salmon was caught during 43.3% (SE = 2.8%) of angler trips; one or more coho salmon was harvested during about the same percentage of angler trips. The first and second coho salmon among all daily harvests produced 42.2% (SE = 5.1%) and 25.2% (SE = 3.2%), respectively, of the total harvest. Age 2.1 coho salmon composed 84.1% (SE = 2.4%) of the sport harvest. An estimated 188 (SE = 39) chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta and 431 (SE = 85) rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were caught during the study. In all fisheries about 36% to 38% of angler-trips were guided and about 73% of trips were made by nonresident anglers. Nearly all anglers used artificial lures in both fisheries. A total of 4,960 chinook salmon were observed during aerial surveys of major chinook salmon spawning areas. Other than increased angler success in the chinook salmon fishery, no major changes were detected between the 1995 and 1991 and 1992 lower Naknek River chinook and coho salmon studies.
Notes: "May 1996"

Includes bibliographical references (p. 34-36).

Also issued online.