Summer Sport Fishery for Lake Trout, Walleye and Northern Pike at Cold Lake, Alberta, 2005

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Summer Sport Fishery for Lake Trout, Walleye and Northern Pike at Cold Lake, Alberta, 2005 Summer Sport Fishery for Lake Trout, Walleye and Northern Pike at Cold Lake, Alberta, 2005 CCONSERVATIONONSERVATION RREPORTEPORT SSERIESERIES The Alberta Conservation Association is a Delegated Administrative Organization under Alberta’s Wildlife Act. CCONSERVATIONONSERVATION RREPORTEPORT SSERIESERIES 25% Post Consumer Fibre When separated, both the binding and paper in this document are recyclable Summer Sport Fishery for Lake Trout, Walleye and Northern Pike at Cold Lake, Alberta, 2005 Bill Patterson Alberta Conservation Association #111, 4999‐98 Avenue, Twin Atria Building Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5R 2X3. Report Series Editor PETER AKU Alberta Conservation Association #101, 9 Chippewa Rd Sherwood Park AB T8A 6J7 Conservation Report Series Type Data, Technical ISBN printed: 978‐0‐7785‐6501‐7 ISBN online: 978‐0‐7785‐6502‐4 Publication No.: T/144 Disclaimer: This document is an independent report prepared by the Alberta Conservation Association. The authors are solely responsible for the interpretations of data and statements made within this report. Reproduction and Availability: This report and its contents may be reproduced in whole, or in part, provided that this title page is included with such reproduction and/or appropriate acknowledgements are provided to the authors and sponsors of this project. Suggested citation: Patterson, B. 2006. Summer sport fishery for lake trout, walleye and northern pike at Cold Lake, Alberta, 2005. Data Report, D‐2006‐005, produced by Alberta Conservation Association, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 24 pp. + app. Cover photo credit: David Fairless Digital copies of conservation reports can be obtained from: Alberta Conservation Association #101, 9 Chippewa Rd Sherwood Park AB T8A 6J7 Toll Free: 1‐877‐969‐9091 Tel: (780) 410‐1999 Fax: (780) 464‐0990 Email: info@ab‐conservation.com Website: www.ab‐conservation.com i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) conducted a creel survey at Cold Lake during the 2005 summer fishing season to provide information on angler use, sport fish yield and population structure. The survey focused primarily on the lake trout sport fishery although data on the walleye and pike sport fisheries were also collected. Access point surveys were conducted from two sites, the Cold Lake Marina (hereafter CLM) and the Cold Lake Provincial Park (hereafter PP) from 21 May to 21 August 2005. During the survey period, approximately 69% of the angling effort was from CLM and PP combined. The remaining 31% was by anglers who used access points not surveyed (e.g., provincial parks, boat launches). An estimated 9,088 anglers (95% CI = 7,839 ‐ 10,393, n = 1,940) fished the lake for 31,525 h (95% CI = 27,112 – 36,236, n = 6,933) or 0.90 h/ha (95% CI = 0.78 – 1.04). At the survey sites recreational anglers were the majority (i.e., CLM = 83%, n = 1,060; PP = 99%, n = 880). Anglers utilizing the guiding services available on Cold Lake represented 17% and 1% of the CLM and PP anglers, respectively. An estimated 1,098 lake trout (95% CI = 853 – 1,371, n = 244) were harvested by anglers during the survey period of which 68% were harvested by recreational anglers while guided anglers harvested 32%. Simulations using three scenarios of incidental mortality (i.e., low 5%, moderate 10%, and high 15%) suggest additional 174 ‐ 521 fish, respectively could potentially die from incidental mortality. An estimated 3,473 lake trout (95% CI = 2,829 – 4,174, n = 858) were reported released by anglers, of which 75% were by recreational anglers and 25% by guided anglers. Generally, the length of the harvested lake trout ranged 352 – 803 mm (fork length) and weight ranged 2,350 – 7,500 kg. Mean weight of a trout harvested by either group was 4,443 g (95% CI = 4,427 – 4,642, n = 161) with estimated yield of 0.140 kg/ha (95% CI = 0.139 – 0.144). The total catch rate for lake trout was 0.162 fish/h. Guided anglers had a higher total catch rate (harvest + released fish) than the recreational anglers i.e., 0.427 fish/h versus 0.130 fish/h. Harvest and release rates were 0.036 fish/h and 0.126 fish/h, respectively. Of the 165 observed harvest, 8 were protected‐length ii fish. Reported release rates for protected‐length and legal‐length lake trout were 0.089 fish/h and 0.037 fish/h, respectively. All lake trout captured were mature. An estimated 30 walleye (95% CI = 84 – 526, n = 26) were harvested by anglers during the survey period. All walleye were harvested by recreational anglers; guided anglers did not capture any walleye. Estimated mean weight of harvested walleye was 2,328 g/fish (95% CI = 2,175 – 2,519, n = 18) and yield was 0.015 kg/ha (95% CI = 0.006 ‐ 0.035). Anglers released 745 walleye (95% CI = 347 – 1,532, n = 101). The incidental mortality of walleye was an additional 41 fish (95% CI = 18 ‐ 73). Overall, the catch rate for walleye was very low. The exaggeration of catch rates may indicate that fishing success is much poorer than reported. An estimated 554 pike (95% CI = 409 – 697, n = 124) were harvested by anglers during the survey period. Similar to walleye, all pike were harvested by recreational anglers; guided anglers did not capture any. Estimated mean weight of harvested pike was 2,224 g/fish (95% CI = 1,997 – 2,425, n = 55) and yield was 0.036 kg/ha (95% CI = 0.030 ‐ 0.038). Anglers released 7,855 pike (95% CI = 6,458 – 9,369, n = 1,530). Based on data collected from the test angling, pike released had a mean weight of 0.909 kg/fish (95% CI = 0.861 – 0.946, n = 110); estimated additional yield due to incidental mortality was 0.011 kg/ha (95% CI = 0.009 ‐ 0.013). Age‐class distribution for pike (both recreational harvest and test angling) was moderately broad with low densities. The catch rate was low for legal‐size pike and moderate for protected‐length fish. Pike were growing to the legal‐size limit in five years. No large fish (>70 cm TL) were caught. Sport anglers had very poor success and a small portion of anglers harvested the majority of fish. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Alberta Conservation Association funded this work. I thank Troy Furukawa and Kevin Yachyshyn for conducting the field component of this work; spending countless hours interviewing anglers on land and water, test angling, and conducting ratio‐of‐use (ROU) surveys. I also thank Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD), particularly George Walker and Wes English, for arranging accommodations and a work boat for the field, conducting ROUs, and providing local knowledge and fisheries expertise. I am grateful to the anglers who contributed their time and fish to this study, Alberta Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) for financial support, and The Fish’n Hole for discounts on equipment. iv CCONSERVATIONONSERVATION RREPORTEPORT SSERIESERIES TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..............................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................................iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................v LIST OF FIGURES.........................................................................................................vi LIST OF TABLES..........................................................................................................vii LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................................. viii 1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................. 1 1.1 General introduction ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Study rationale ................................................................................................... 2 2.0 STUDY AREA..................................................................................................... 2 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS ....................................................................... 4 3.1 Survey design ..................................................................................................... 4 3.2 Access point creel survey.................................................................................. 4 3.3 Ratio‐of‐use surveys .......................................................................................... 5 3.4 Test angling......................................................................................................... 5 3.5 Biological fish data............................................................................................. 6 3.6 Data management and analysis ....................................................................... 7 4.0 RESULTS ............................................................................................................. 9 4.1 Survey effort ....................................................................................................... 9 4.2 Angler surveys ................................................................................................. 10 4.3 Lake trout harvest and yield .......................................................................... 11 4.4 Lake trout population structure..................................................................... 12 4.5 Walleye harvest and yield .............................................................................. 15 4.6 Walleye catch...................................................................................................
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