Seasonal Harvest, Exploitation, Size Selectivity, and Catch Preferences Associated with Winter Yellow Perch Anglers on South Dakota Lakes

Abstract

AbstractWe evaluated harvest patterns, exploitation, size selectivity, and angler catch preferences associated with winter fisheries for yellow perch Perca flavescens (i.e., ice fishing) on South Dakota lakes. Seasonal trends in the percentage of anglers targeting yellow perch and in yellow perch harvest were apparent in creel surveys on seven lakes; trends varied among lakes. Exploitation of yellow perch was estimated on two lakes through tag‐return studies. Nonreporting rates estimated from surrogate postcards varied between angler groups (19–52%). On East 81 Slough, where the relative stock density (RSD) of yellow perch of 254 mm or longer (RSD‐254) was low (RSD‐254 = 10), exploitation was only 7% during the winter of 2000–2001; much of the total annual mortality (48%) in the population was attributed to natural causes (40%). Conversely, the estimated exploitation rate on Pelican Lake, where size structure was dominated by larger fish (RSD‐254 = 92), was 61% from December to June. Anglers on East 81 Slough demonstrated size‐selective harvest of yellow perch, harvesting higher proportions of older, larger fish than were observed in trap‐net samples. High percentages of anglers on both lakes reported preferences for catching or harvesting fewer, larger yellow perch rather than catching or harvesting more, but smaller, fish. Variation in the size structure of the yellow perch available to anglers will probably result in variable exploitation rates both among populations and among years within a single population. Angler catch preferences and size selectivity suggest that future management strategies should be designed to provide reasonable numbers of large yellow perch to meet angler desires.