July 2006 DEC Creel Census Report

Preliminary summary of fishing boat trips and fish harvested, and harvest rates per boat trip for trout and salmon and

smallmouth bass among boats seeking these species, for the month of July, from the 1985-2006 DEC Lake Ontario fishing

	11-yr. avg.	5-yr avg.			Yearly	Estimates
	1985-95	1996-00	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Fishing Boat Trips:	28,608	17,722	17,516	17,487	15,946	15,613	19,512	15,265

No. of Fish Harvested:
Coho Salmon	515	355	579	40	238	135	36	214
Chinook Salmon	8,870	3,477	4,336	1,215	4,116	9,540	11,931	8,241
Rainbow Trout	4,249	2,111	3,659	1,073	740	1,376	1,584	1,901
Atlantic Salmon	51	10	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brown Trout	4,991	3,205	1,126	1,971	3,210	1,853	2,187	3,630
Lake Trout	16,406	2,266	2,129	3,531	2,065	2,298	913	86
Total Trout & Salmon	35,083	11,425	11,827	7,830	10,369	15,217	16,650	14,072

Smallmouth Bass	16,136	14,268	16,456	10,908	16,868	7,817	8,571	6,240
Yellow Perch	2,433	1,509	1,802	1,156	1,905	2,202	486	1,476
Walleye	35	115	38	0	19	0	0	15

Coho Salmon	0.026	0.044	0.076	0.006	0.041	0.019	0.003	0.026
Chinook Salmon	0.436	0.400	0.570	0.180	0.702	1.334	1.095	0.998
Rainbow Trout	0.208	0.267	0.481	0.159	0.126	0.192	0.146	0.230
Atlantic Salmon	0.003	0.001	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000
Brown Trout	0.254	0.386	0.148	0.291	0.547	0.252	0.201	0.440
Lake Trout	0.846	0.274	0.280	0.522	0.352	0.321	0.084	0.010
Total Trout & Salmon	1.773	1.372	1.556	1.158	1.768	2.120	1.529	1.704

Fishing effort in July 2006 was estimated at 15,265 fishing boat trips, the third lowest July effort estimate among the 22 years censused (only July 1996 and 1999 were lower), and an 11.3% decrease compared to the 2001-2005 July effort average (previous 5 years). Boats targeting trout and salmon accounted for 8,259 boat trips, a 24.0% decrease compared to 2005, but an 8.0% increase compared to their 2001-2005 effort average. Boats targeting smallmouth bass accounted for 5,881 boat trips, the third lowest July estimate among smallmouth bass anglers, and a 31.8% decline compared to their 2001-2005 July effort average.

Numbers of fish harvested are significantly influenced by changes in fishing effort, and harvest estimates for July 2006 were generally proportional to changes in fishing effort. The estimate of total trout and salmon harvested was 14,072 fish, a 15.5% decrease compared to July 2005, but a 13.7% increase compared to the 2001-2005 July average. Chinook salmon dominated the July 2006 salmonine harvest with an estimate of 8,241 fish, 58.6% of the total trout and salmon. Smallmouth bass harvest was estimated at 6,240 fish in July 2006, the second lowest July estimate among the years censused, and a 48.5% decrease compared to the 2001-2005 average July smallmouth bass harvest.

Fishing quality for trout and salmon as measured by harvest rates was slightly above average in July 2006. The trout and salmon harvest rate among boats seeking trout and salmon was 1.70 fish per boat trip, up 11.4% compared to July 2005, but up just 4.8% compared to the 2001-2005 July average. Comparisons by species show that July 2006 harvest rates were above their respective 2001-2005 averages for brown trout (+52.6%) and Chinook salmon (+28.6%), essentially average for rainbow trout (+4.2%), and below their respective 2001-2005 averages for coho salmon (-10.6%), lake trout (-96.7%), and Atlantic salmon (none observed in July 2006). In contrast to the overall salmonine harvest rate, the July 2006 smallmouth bass harvest rate among boats targeting smallmouth bass was estimated at just 1.01 fish per boat trip, down 22.3% compared to the 2001-2005 July average for smallmouth bass anglers.

Preliminary summary of fishing boat trips and fish harvested, and harvest rates per boat trip for trout and salmon and

smallmouth bass among boats seeking these species, for the months of April-July, from the 1985-2006 DEC Lake Ontario

	11-yr. avg.	5-yr avg.			Yearly	Estimates
	1985-95	1996-00	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Fishing Boat Trips:	96,090	48,485	48,043	47,467	37,592	37,354	48,818	36,232

No. of Fish Harvested:
Coho Salmon	8,729	4,612	2,110	1,109	2,180	860	3,052	6,902
Chinook Salmon	26,881	5,481	9,592	4,399	9,789	19,501	27,967	13,722
Rainbow Trout	19,805	8,962	8,944	2,389	4,558	6,217	4,201	4,485
Atlantic Salmon	567	68	71	146	18	19	15	0
Brown Trout	43,394	21,922	20,929	13,854	16,834	13,305	21,704	14,094
Lake Trout	42,204	9,145	6,003	8,963	3,815	3,464	2,117	2,034
Total Trout & Salmon	141,590	50,191	47,645	30,861	37,193	43,382	59,056	41,237

Smallmouth Bass	23,273	25,245	28,713	22,593	23,754	12,098	15,791	9,632
Yellow Perch	4,945	3,941	3,811	3,910	2,991	3,695	5,007	8,836
Walleye	105	511	81	62	191	280	106	88

Coho Salmon	0.103	0.143	0.073	0.040	0.101	0.035	0.092	0.262
Chinook Salmon	0.318	0.170	0.332	0.159	0.455	0.798	0.845	0.563
Rainbow Trout	0.260	0.276	0.310	0.086	0.211	0.255	0.127	0.184
Atlantic Salmon	0.007	0.002	0.002	0.005	0.001	0.001	0.000	0.000
Brown Trout	0.542	0.675	0.717	0.495	0.765	0.539	0.657	0.574
Lake Trout	0.485	0.287	0.208	0.324	0.178	0.142	0.064	0.083
Total Trout & Salmon	1.714	1.553	1.641	1.109	1.711	1.770	1.785	1.666

Fishing effort for the months of April-July 2006 (4-month total) was estimated at 36,232 fishing boat trips, the lowest April-July effort estimate among the 22 years censused, and a 17.4% decrease compared to the 2001-2005 April-July average (previous 5 years). Boats targeting trout and salmon accounted for 24,387 boat trips, 67.3% of the total 2006 April-June fishing effort, but a 10.0% decrease compared to the 2001-2005 April-July average for trout and salmon fishermen. Boats targeting smallmouth bass since the season opener (June 17) accounted for 8,796 boats trips, 24.3% of the 2006 April-July fishing effort, and 33.8% less than the 2001-2005 average for smallmouth bass fishermen.

The total number of trout and salmon harvested in April-July 2006 was estimated at 41,237 fish, a 30.2% decrease compared to April-July 2005, but just 5.5% less than the 2001-2005 average April-July salmonine harvest. Brown trout and Chinook salmon were the most commonly harvested species, comprising 34.2% and 33.3%, respectively, of the 2006 April-July salmonine total. Smallmouth bass harvest in 2006 since opening day was estimated at just 9,632 fish, the second lowest June-July estimate among the years censused, and a 53.2% decrease compared to their 2001-2005 June-July average. Yellow perch harvest in April-July 2006 was estimated at 8,836 fish, a 127.6% increase compared to their 2001-2005 April-July average.

Fishing quality as measured by harvest rates was slightly above average in April-July 2006. The trout and salmon harvest rate among boats seeking trout and salmon was 1.67 fish per boat trip, 3.9% higher than the 2001-2005 April-July average rate. Comparisons among the salmonine species show that April-July 2006 harvest rates were above their respective 2001-2005 averages for coho salmon (+282.8%) and Chinook salmon (+8.7%), and below their respective 2001-2005 averages for rainbow trout (-6.9%), brown trout (-9.5%), lake trout (-54.4%), and Atlantic salmon (none observed in 2006). The smallmouth bass harvest rate among boats seeking smallmouth bass was just 1.03 fish per boat trip, the third lowest June- July harvest rate among the years censused, and 27.7% less than the 2001-2005 average June-July smallmouth bass harvest rate.