Background:Applegate Lake has become an important recreational fishery in the AMA since it's completion in 1978. The lake contains both native (rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Klamath small scale suckers) and non-native (bluegill, crappie, large and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, and brown bullhead) fish species. Warmwater (non-native) fish inhabit the shallower, warmer water of the lake and coldwater (native) fish species occupy the colder, deeper portions. Large and small mouth bass, black crappie and rainbow trout are the most popular game fish in the lake and are often targeted by anglers. Yearly stocking by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) contributes various coldwater species to the system (steelhead, coho, chinook, and rainbow trout).
Every 3-4 years, ODFW sets gill nets at three established sites throughout the lake. These nets target pelagic and migratory fish populations (i.e., salmon and trout) and these sampling results often correspond with ODFW stocking records. The U.S. Forest Service (FS) conducts creel surveys throughout prime fishing months (March - October) at two locations on Applegate Lake: Hart-tish Park and Seattle Bar. Anglers often target the warmwater gamefish (large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, and crappie) and by tracking their catches we can monitor these less mobile species which are underrepresented in the gill net sampling.
Findings: Gill netting appears to accurately reflect salmonid populations in Applegate Lake but inventory of warmwater species is more difficult. Creel census provides some information about warmwater species caught in the lake. This information is limited however because anglers target certain fish species with different equipment (tackle); angler response at creel boxes has been limited; and fish identification is often suspect.
At the beginning of the 1998 fishing season, we posted an informational flyer at all creel box locations. The flyer was designed to draw attention to the creel boxes and to educate anglers on the importance of creel census. At Applegate Lake, we observed a 63percent increase in angler response over the previous season.
Applications: This study suggests anglers are more likely to record their catch when creel boxes are highly visible and when they are made aware of the value of this information. This study has also alerted us to the potential for misidentification of fish by anglers using our recreational areas. Salmon and trout species can look quite similar, especially in their juvenile stages and are frequently misidentified. Kokanee are not present in Applegate Lake yet are regularly identified on creel forms. Inexperienced (and experienced) anglers likely misidentify several other warmwater fish species.
Follow-up: In order to improve the recreational opportunities at Applegate Lake we will continue to monitor the warmwater fish populations. Creel sampling seems to be the most cost effective method of data collection but participation and accuracy must be improved. To accomplish this we will add a third creel box location and improve the educational flyer by adding a fish identification section.
Submitted by: Jennifer Smith, Assistant Fisheries Biologist - South Zone. 541-482-3333.
Date: 3/29/99