AUTHORS: Lewis J. Bruce, Iowa Department of Natural Resources; John Lorenzen, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
ABSTRACT: Creel surveys (i.e., counting and interviewing anglers) are one of the sampling tools used to gauge the amount and type of fishing activity on a pond, lake, or river. Creel surveys provide important information about user demographics, preferences towards fish species and sizes of fish, fish harvest, trip length, and trip expenditures. Collecting these data gives managers insight into what their constituents want. A traditional creel survey consists of two components: 1) random counts of anglers to assess the level of use; and 2) angler interviews to determine more about the typical fishing trip (e.g., how long, what they are catching) and other information about the angler. Randomly counting anglers requires a creel clerk to be on site regularly and, therefore, limits the number of concurrent creel surveys that can be conducted using this traditional method. Another issue with traditional creel surveys is the fact that the mere presence of what some of the public perceive to be a law enforcement figure can result in anglers altering their behavior (e.g., leaving the lake). Time lapsed photography (TLP) was used to collect diurnal count data from multiple lakes simultaneously and these data were collected in an unbiased manner. Cameras were used seasonally (i.e., open water and ice fishing) at some locations and year-round at others. During a 4 year period 20 urban ponds were surveyed using TLP. Hide box maintenance, camera reliability, vandalism, and data processing efforts were also monitored and quantified during this project.
