Quantitative creel census techniques were employed on Missouri tailwaters for the fist time during 1961. Specific areas below Table Rock and Taneycomo Reservoirs on White River and below Clearwater Reservoir on Black River were censused using a stratified sampling technique throughout the year. Estimated fishing pressure on Table Rock tailwater was 608 hours per acre and the rate of catch amounted to 0.62 fish per hour. The yield per acre was about 380 fish, weighing 192 pounds. Hatchery reared rainbow trout comprised nearly 90 percent of the yield by number. Taneycomo tailwater supported an estimated 609 hours of fishing per acre. Rate of catch amounted to 0.55 fish per hour; the yield per acre was 343 fish weighing 408 pounds. White bass made up more than 37 percent of the total creel, followed by drum, crappie, channel catfish, and bluegill. Estimated fishing pressure on Clearwater tailwater was 1,607 hours per acre, with a catch rate of 0.55 per hour. The yield per acre was 930 fish weighing 845 pounds. Numerically, crappie comprised about 35 percent of the total catch, followed by carp, bluegill, channel catfish, and buffalo. Carp provided about one-third of the total weight. The tailwaters of Table Rock, Taneycomo and Clearwater reservoirs received 7, 10 and 16 times more fishing pressure per acre than the reservoirs themselves. Taneycomo tailwater had more fishermen than Lake Taneycomo. Taneycomo and Clearwater tailwaters provided greater total harvests by weight than did their respective reservoirs.
