2005 DEC Lake Ontario Creel Census September

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 September, from the 1985-2005 DEC Lake Ontario fishing boat censuses.

	10-yr. avg. -	5-yr. avg.			Yearly	Estimates
	1985-94	1995-99	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Fishing Boat Trips:	32,212	17,294	15,630	16,059	12,349	13,955	19,167	15,932

No. of Fish Harvested:
Coho Salmon	2,839	822	347	830	221	1,586	456	2,163
Chinook Salmon	20,277	6,365	4,547	3,106	3,255	8,984	10,470	18,304
Rainbow Trout	3,639	2,495	1,810	1,320	344	380	1,504	1,082
Atlantic Salmon	7	12	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brown Trout	873	300	557	446	61	629	24	337
Lake Trout	1,624	141	83	1,646	1,575	54	47	64
Total Trout & Salmon	29,258	10,141	7,344	7,347	5,456	11,634	12,500	21,949

Smallmouth Bass	8,828	11,926	4,907	8,687	9,165	14,744	5,840	7,013
Yellow Perch	2,773	1,873	2,597	809	405	1,203	6,069	3,703
Walleye	41	210	185	263	85	61	0	19

Coho Salmon	0.098	0.063	0.028	0.082	0.029	0.165	0.032	0.182
Chinook Salmon	0.700	0.487	0.371	0.309	0.428	0.932	0.734	1.544
Rainbow Trout	0.139	0.184	0.148	0.129	0.045	0.040	0.105	0.091
Atlantic Salmon	>0.001	0.001	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brown Trout	0.032	0.024	0.043	0.044	0.008	0.065	0.002	0.028
Lake Trout	0.057	0.014	0.007	0.164	0.208	0.006	0.003	0.005
Total Trout & Salmon	1.027	0.773	0.597	0.728	0.719	1.208	0.876	1.852

As typically occurs, effort in the open lake boat fishery declined between August and September. Effort in September 2005 was estimated at 15,932 fishing boat trips, a 23.5% decrease compared to August 2005, but a 3.2% increase compared to the 2000-2004 September effort average (previous 5 years). Boats targeting trout and salmon accounted for 11,853 boat trips, 74.4% of the September total, and a 10.3% increase compared to their 2000-2004 September average. Boats targeting smallmouth bass accounted for 3,631 boat trips, just 22.8% of the September total, and 10.6% below their 2000-2004 September average.

The total number of trout and salmon harvested in September 2005 was estimated at 21,949 fish, a 147.8% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average harvest, and the highest September trout and salmon harvest observed since 1994. Chinook salmon dominated the trout and salmon harvest with an estimated 18,304 fish, a 201.4% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average September Chinook harvest, and the highest September Chinook harvest observed since 1991. Smallmouth bass was the second most commonly harvested species in September 2005 with an estimate of 7,013 fish, a 19.1% decrease compared to the 2000-2004 average September bass harvest.

Fishing quality as measured by harvest rates was mixed in September 2005. The trout and salmon harvest rate among boats seeking trout and salmon was 1.85 fish per boat trip, a record high for the month of September among the 21 years censused, and a 124.3% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average September harvest rate. Comparisons among the salmonine species show that September 2005 harvest rates were above their respective 2000-2004 averages for Chinook salmon (+178.3%, and a record high September harvest rate), and coho salmon (+170.7%, and another record high September harvest rate); were essentially equal to their 2000-2004 average for rainbow trout (-2.3%); and were below their respective 2000-2004 averages for brown trout (-12.3%), lake trout (-93.0%), and Atlantic salmon (none observed in September 2005). The smallmouth bass harvest rate among boats seeking smallmouth bass in September was 1.89 fish per boat trip, a 68.4% increase compared to the record low observed in September 2004, and just 3.8% below the 2000-2004 average September harvest rate.

Preliminary six month (April-September) summary of total fishing boat trips, trips by boats seeking any or all species of trout and salmon, trips by boats seeking smallmouth bass during the open season, and harvest rates per boat trip for trout and salmon and smallmouth bass among boats seeking these species, from the 2005 DEC Lake Ontario fishing boat census. Also shown are percent comparisons of the 2005 estimates with their respective 2000-2004 averages (previous 5 years). Comparisons with a minus sign indicate that the 2005 estimate was lower than its respective 2000-2004 average; comparisons with a plus sign indicate that the 2005 estimate was higher than its respective 2000-2004 average.

	April	May	June	July	August	Sept.

Total Number of Fishing Boat Trips (all boats):
2005 Estimates	4,055	13,581	11,670	19,512	20,826	15,932
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	-15.7%	+41.8%	-2.9%	+8.4%	-30.1%	+3.2%

Number of Trips by Boats Seeking any or all Trout and Salmon:
2005 Estimates	3,887	12,945	5,363	10,862	14,090	11,853
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	-16.8%	+42.6%	-4.0%	+46.6%	-29.3%	+10.3%

Number of Trips by Boats Seeking Smallmouth Bass During Open Season:
2005 Estimates	--	--	4,626	7,736	6,115	3,631
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	--	--	-1.8%	-19.1%	-32.5%	-10.6%

2005 Harvest Rates Per Boat Trip Among Boats Seeking Trout and Salmon:
Coho Salmon	0.216	0.141	0.067	0.003	0.031	0.182
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	+105.2%	+34.0%	+79.9%	-91.6%	-71.5%	+170.7%

Chinook Salmon	0.021	1.098	0.326	1.095	1.610	1.544
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	-82.5%	+138.7%	+116.7%	+65.8%	+123.1%	+178.3%

Rainbow Trout	0.067	0.101	0.194	0.146	0.161	0.091
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	-26.5%	-61.7%	+12.6%	-28.9%	-22.1%	-2.3%

Atlantic Salmon	0.004	0	0	0	0	0
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	-3.9%	--	--	--	--	--

Brown Trout	1.542	0.746	0.721	0.201	0.053	0.028
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	+57.2%	-8.3%	+20.4%	-41.9%	-71.7%	-12.3%

Lake Trout	0	0.020	0.175	0.084	0.142	0.005
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	--	-79.1%	-35.4%	-74.6%	+32.5%	-93.0%

Total Trout & Salmon	1.849	2.105	1.482	1.529	1.997	1.852
% comparison '00-'04 avg.	+26.5%	+20.9%	+20.3%	-3.4%	+50.0%	+124.3%

2005 Harvest Rates Per Boat Trip Among Boats Seeking Smallmouth Bass During Open Season: