Reeling and creeling

Fort Peck Reservoir angler creel survey underway through September

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is conducting an angling “creel” survey at one of the state’s largest and most popular fisheries to monitor catch rates of popular game fish, fishing pressure and to determine the level of satisfaction of anglers. This data-gathering survey will be based at boat ramps around Fort Peck Reservoir and will continue through September.

Creel clerks will ask several questions about the day’s fishing and measure any fish kept. The interview is short and shouldn’t take more than a couple minutes. The information gathered from these surveys is important and helps FWP better manage the Fort Peck fishery by providing information on targeted species, size of fish harvested and angler catch rates. This data is used in conjunction with various netting surveys to get a better overall picture of what is taking place on the reservoir.

The last creel survey on Fort Peck Reservoir was in the summer of 2023. FWP interviewed more than 2,200 anglers during that time, providing a vast amount of information for a variety of fish species. Walleye were the most targeted species by anglers at 63.5 percent, and the size of harvested walleye averaged 16 inches, which was comparable to the previous creel survey. Chinook salmon were the second most targeted species at 17.2 percent in 2023, which increased from 11.8 percent in 2021.

Creel surveys indicate that more people are targeting cold water species like Chinook salmon and lake trout than in the past. These species are more susceptible to catch-and-release mortality during the hot summer months when surface temperatures are much higher than they prefer. Data from the creel can help biologists better estimate total mortality on a species like lake trout, which will aid in the species future management.

One continuing pattern is catch rates for most game fish species peak in late June/early July and decline thereafter. Much of this is due to forage levels that are seasonal in abundance. For example, most forage fish species (yellow perch, crappie, spottail shiners, emerald shiners and cisco) in Fort Peck Reservoir hatch in the spring and early summer. As summer progresses and water temperatures warm, these forage fish will grow and can range in size from 2 to 4 inches in length during the month of August. These sizes provide an ideal food item that predatory fish can key in on. This surge in food abundance can make it challenging for anglers resulting in a tougher “bite.” It should be noted that netting surveys observed a very large year class of cisco that was produced in 2023, and in 2024 those same cisco were averaging approximately 6 inches in length.

It is important for all anglers to stop at the creel stations, from the novice anglers to professional fishing guides. The best data come from a true random sample of who is out there fishing; therefore, if one segment of the fishing population doesn’t take the time to participate, the data become biased.

If you value the fishery, FWP needs you to take the time to let us collect your data. Even if you have a tough day on the water and don’t catch any fish or you don’t keep any fish, that data is still important to know. The creel survey will continue through Sept. 15.