John S. Stanovick

We examined relations among creel statistics and stocking rates of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in small impoundments. Angling effort directed toward catfish varied from 2 to 790 hours ha⁻¹ and made up between 1% and 62% of the total angling effort. Anglers harvested nearly all of the channel catfish they caught in most impoundments. Harvest of channel catfish varied from 0.4 to 126 fish ha⁻¹ and 0.3 to 74 kg ha⁻¹ and was more closely associated with catfish angling effort than with stocking rate. Harvest rate declined asymptotically with...

One component in evaluating the need for or the result of a fishing regulation is an angler survey. In recent years, efforts have advanced the way an individual survey is designed, conducted, and analyzed. However, managing approximately 30-40 on-site angler surveys each year led Missouri to develop and implement stringent data processing guidelines. These guidelines ensure survey objectives are addressed; appropriate survey methodologies are used; clerks are properly trained; survey forms, questions, and coding are standardized; and data entry and analysis results are completed in a...