1985-2005 September Monthly Summary

  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.

  Harvest Rates Per Boat Trip Among Boats Fishing for Trout & Salmon:

  Harvest Rates Per Boat trip Among Boats Fishing for Smallmouth Bass:

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.

2005 April-September Monthly Summary

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.

1985-2005 April-September Monthly Summary

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

  Harvest Rates Per Boat Trip Among Boats Fishing for Trout & Salmon:

  Harvest Rates Per Boat trip Among Boats Fishing for Smallmouth Bass:

Fishing effort for the months of April-September 2005 (6-month total) was estimated at 85,576 fishing boat trips.  Although this was an increase compared to 2003 and 2004, the 2005 estimate was still the third lowest effort estimate among the 21 years censused, and 4.5% less than the 2000-2004 April-September average number of fishing boat trips.  Comparisons of the 2005 monthly estimates with their respective 2000-2004 averages (see previous page) show that fishing effort was below average in 2005 for the months of April (-15.7%) and August (-30.1%), above average in the months of May (+41.8%) and July (+8.4%), and essentially equal to their respective 2000-2004 averages in June (-2.9%) and September (+3.2%).  Boats targeting trout and salmon accounted for 59,000 boat trips, 68.9% of the total, the fourth lowest April-September estimate for trout and salmon anglers among the years censused, and just slightly higher than (+2.7%) the 2000-2004 April-September average.  Monthly comparisons of the 2005 estimates with their respective 2000-2004 averages show that effort among boats targeting trout and salmon was below average in April (-16.8%) and August (-29.3%), above average in May (+42.6%), July (+46.6%), and September (+10.3%), and nearly average in June (-4.0%).  Boats targeting smallmouth bass since the season opening (June 18) accounted for 22,108 boats trips, 25.8% of the total, the lowest June-September estimate for smallmouth bass anglers since 1996, and 19.3% less than the 2000-2004 June-September average.

The total number of trout and salmon harvested in April-September 2005 was estimated at 109,147 fish, a 43.7% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average April-September salmonine harvest.  This increase was due mainly to Chinook salmon which was the most commonly harvested species in 2005, with a April-September estimate of 68,957 fish, 63.2% of the total trout and salmon.  This was the highest Chinook salmon harvest observed since 1991, and a 127.1% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average Chinook harvest.  Comparisons among the other salmonine species show the 2005 harvest estimates were above their respective 2000-2004 averages for brown trout (+4.7%) and coho salmon (+15.1%), and below their respective 2000-2004 averages for rainbow trout (-27.9%), lake trout (-50.1%), and Atlantic salmon (-73.0%).  The 2005 lake trout harvest was by a small margin a record low among the 21 years censused, with an estimate of 0 (zero) fish harvested in April, the first time the census failed to document the harvest of at least a few lake trout in any month.  Atlantic salmon harvests in the open lake have also been very low from 2003-2005, and in all three years were based on a single fish observed among the boats interviewed.

Above average harvest of Chinook salmon in 2005 resulted in record high harvest rates among boats targeting trout and salmon.  The 2005 April-September harvest rate for all species was 1.85 salmonines per boat trip, the highest seasonal harvest rate among the 21 years censused, and a 39.7% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average April-September harvest rate.  The 2005 Chinook salmon seasonal harvest rate among boats targeting trout and salmon was 1.17 fish per boat trip, the first time the seasonal Chinook salmon harvest rate has been above 1.00 fish per boat trip, a 118.1% increase compared to the 2000-2004 average harvest rate, and the second consecutive year that the seasonal Chinook salmon harvest rate was a record high (2004 was also an excellent year for Chinooks).  Above average Chinook salmon harvest rates were evident in May-September 2005, with increases in 2005 compared to their respective 2000-2004 monthly averages ranging from 65.8% to 178.3%.  Comparisons among the other salmonine species show that 2005 seasonal harvest rates were above their respective 2000-2004 averages for coho salmon (+13.8%) and brown trout (+2.9%), and below their respective 2000-2004 averages for rainbow trout (-29.2%, and the third lowest seasonal harvest rate ), lake trout (-51.8%, and a record low among the years censused), and Atlantic salmon (-74.4%).

Smallmouth bass fishing has declined within the area censused in the last several years, with reductions evident in targeted fishing effort, numbers of smallmouth bass harvested, and harvest rates per targeted boat trip.  In 2005, smallmouth bass harvest was estimated at just 32,816 fish, with a seasonal (June 18-September 30) harvest rate of 1.43 bass per targeted boat trip.  Both were the third lowest estimates among the 21 years censused, with reductions of 41.6% and 24.9% respectively compared to their 2000-2004 averages.

Yellow perch and walleye harvests have both shown large yearly fluctuations.  The 2005 harvest estimate of 8,942 yellow perch was down 7.6% compared to the 2000-2004 average perch harvest, while the 2005 walleye harvest of 2,465 fish was up 329.0% compared to the 2000-2004 average walleye harvest.  The largest harvests of both species within the Lake Ontario area take place in locations and at times not included, or poorly covered, by the fishing boat census (harvest in embayments or in the eastern basin, and at night), and estimates for both species are subject to high variation.  Boats specifically targeting yellow perch and walleye are relatively uncommon within the areas and times censused, but may have very high harvest rates.  Chance encounters with a few more, or a few less, of those boats with large catches of yellow perch or walleye, can significantly influence the seasonal estimates.