Survey of Angling in Lake Superior Waters at Isle Royale National Park, 1998

Abstract

Abstract An on-site direct-contact creel survey was conducted in the Lake Superior waters of Isle Royale National Park during June–August 1998 to estimate fishing effort, sport catch, sport harvest, and residency of noncharter boaters. The sport harvest of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush and coaster brook trout S. fontinalis was of particular concern. Estimates were based on boat counts from air flights and from the ferry vessel Voyageur II, as well as from interviews of boating parties at Isle Royale, Michigan, ports; at Grand Portage, Minnesota; and onboard the ferry vessel Ranger III. Total boating effort at Isle Royale National Park during June–August was 29,273 h, of which 696 h (2%) involved charter fishing boats, 19,340 h (66%) noncharter fishing boats, and the remaining 9,237 h (32%) nonfishing boats. Most boaters were from Minnesota and Michigan, which together accounted for 95% of the noncharter anglers and 70% of the nonfishing boaters. Total angler hours for the period were 62,232. Lake trout ...