Craig A. Walker

Evaluation of Catch Card Reporting at Mississippi State Lakes

We evaluated voluntarily completed catch cards as an alternative to access point surveys at intensively managed state-owned fishing lakes in Mississippi. Catch cards, with signs encouraging participation and completion, were conspicuously available to anglers. Five percent of anglers voluntarily completed catch cards; response rate increased to 13% when agency personnel verbally requested participation in the catch card program from those anglers they encountered on-site. Anglers who voluntarily obtained and completed cards (respondents) were older, fished more often, and caught more fish...