A Creel Census at Chautauqua Lake, New York

Abstract
An important part of the biological survey of the Allegheny watershed in New York State during 1937 consisted of a study of angling conditions in Chautauqua Lake, a highly productive, comparatively shallow body of water of 13,376 acres. This lake is noted for its black bass and muskalonge fishing. The main objective of the study was to lay a foundation for later more intensive investigations leading to a sound management program. Owing to the popularity of the lake among fishermen on opening days and to the fact that July 4th fell on the first week‐end, a high concentration of anglers afforded a good opportunity for obtaining a large amount of the necessary data. During the first five days of the season (July 1 to 5) sixteen members of the Surveyˈs scientific staff were stationed at strategic points around the lake, such as the boat liveries, and obtained data as to the kind, number, length, and weight of the fish caught, the number of hours of fishing, and the type of gear and bait used by each fisherman contacted. Scale samples for age determinations were obtained from 221 smallmouth bass, 206 large‐mouth bass, and 73 muskalonge. The analysis of the creel census data for the five‐day period showed that a total of 3,732 legal fish were taken in 1,488 fisherman‐days, or 6,788 fisherman‐hours, an average of 0.55 fish per fisherman‐hour. Of the total number of fisherman‐days reported 45.9 per cent showed no catch of legal fish. The total catch enumerated consisted of 284 smallmouth bass (7.6 per cent), 212 largemouth bass (5.7 per cent), 80 muskalonge (2.1 per cent), 159 bullheads (4.3 per cent) and 2,997 pan fishes (80.3 per cent), chiefly perch, rock bass, and sunfishes.

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