In April, 1958, creel censuses on the White River Arm of Bull Shoals Reservoir, Missouri, were altered to permit separate tabulations of data from anglers who fished exclusively in three areas of flooded standing timber. The combined acreage of the timbered areas is 6.3 acres, or 0.26 per cent of the entire creel census area (2,380 acres). During 1959, nearly 15 per cent of all anglers counted were timber fishermen. Fishing pressure in that year amounted to 5,138 hours per acre in timbered areas, as compared to 97 hours per acre in the remainder of the census area. The hook-and-line harvest in timbered areas was 3,054 pounds per acre, and in the remainder of the area was about 113 pounds per acre. In 29 months, 821 timber fishermen were interviewed, of whom 94.8 per cent were successful. Their rate of catch amounted to 1.25 fish per hour. At the same time, 1,580 anglers who “still” fished in open water (the most nearly comparable group of anglers) were interviewed, of whom 90.6 per cent were successful. Their rate of catch was 1.36 fish per hour. Timber anglers caught fewer kinds of fish than other anglers. In comparison with anglers “still” fishing from boats in open water, they caught the same percentage of crappie, more bluegill and largemouth bass, but fewer channel catfish and white bass.
