David L. Yow

Creel surveys are a common method for collecting information from anglers, and when biological data are sparse, can provide needed data to help biologists evaluate fisheries. For instance, only 272 trout were collected in gill-net and electrofishing samples conducted annually from 2012-2015 to evaluate an experimental trout fishery in Apalachia Reservoir, North Carolina. Thus, we conducted a 12-mo, non-uniform probability creel survey to determine the return of stocked trout to anglers. Because the impoundment had a remote location, we utilized game cameras at two boating access areas to...

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were stocked at two sizes, small (approximately 254 mm TL) and large (approximately 356 mm TL), in Apalachia Reservoir, North Carolina, to determine the best size and species to create a trophy put-grow-and-take fish- ery. Trout were tagged and stocked in December 2012–2015 and collected with annual boat electrofishing and gill-net surveys. Small trout of both spe- cies grew faster in length than large trout; however, brown trout of both size classes reached larger sizes (≥500 mm TL). Large brown trout were highly...

Lake Hickory is a 1660-ha impoundment in western North Carolina with a historically popular black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) fishery. Beginning in 2000, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) trapnet-survey data suggested a decline in black crappie catch rates which was also associated with increased angler complaints. In an effort to improve the black crappie population, the NCWRC began an experimental stocking program in 2007. From 2007 to 2012, black crappie fingerlings were marked with oxytetracycline (OTC) and stocked annually into Lake Hickory. Annual assessments...

Roving creel surveys were conducted on nine hatchery-supported trout streams in western North Carolina during 1998 and 1999. The objective of this study was to describe angler use patterns and trip characteristics for selected waters in the hatchery-supported trout program. A total of 5,452 angler interviews were conducted during the two-year survey. Overall, anglers caught trout >203 mm (considered stocked) at an average rate of 1.38 trout/h. This catch rate exceeded the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) programmatic goal of 1.00 trout/h. Hatchery-supported trout...