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Trapping
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Western South Dakota Lake and Stream Survey Summaries
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks conducts a variety of surveys to assess adult fish populations, young fish production, fishing pressure, and harvest. Angler creel and fish population surveys help fisheries managers and biologists evaluate the benefits of management activities such as stocking, harvest restrictions and habitat improvement. Future management strategies are often based on survey findings. Creel and netting survey reports for our more popular lakes can be viewed using the links shown below. Reports will be added to this site as they are completed. Fisheries management questions can be directed to Gene Galinat. (SDGFP – Rapid City, 394-2391).
Lake Fishery Surveys and Catches
Summer lake surveys provide information on fish communities. Some lakes are surveyed annually; others less frequently. A variety of fish collection gears may be used during a survey, including gill nets, trap nets, and electrofishing. In general, gill nets are used to sample walleyes and yellow perch. Northern pike, bluegills, crappies, bullheads and catfish are sampled with trap nets. Boat electrofishing is used to sample largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and juvenile walleyes. Some of the technical terminology mentioned in the lake survey reports is described >Here<.
Stream surveys are generally conducted in the early fall prior to trout spawning when water levels are lower and temperatures are cooler. Larger, more popular fishing streams such as Rapid, Castle, and Spearfish Creeks are surveyed annually, while smaller Black Hills streams are suveyed less often. Black Hills streams are sampled using backpack electrofishing units. A 100 meter section of stream is blocked off by nets and crews generally make 3 passes working upstream and collecting all fish possible. Fish density estimates are calculated by catch reduction during the 3 passes and reported as fish per100 meters of stream. Fish commonly sampled during stream electrofishing are brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, longnose dace, mountain sucker and white sucker.
Creel surveys provide information on fishing pressure, catch and harvest of fish species, and angler demographics and preferences. Fishing pressure is calculated from counts of boat and shore anglers. In the winter, occupied ice houses and open-ice anglers are counted. Harvest rates (number of fish harvested per hour of fishing) and catch rates (harvest + release rates) are calculated from angler interviews. An interview consists of questions about the length of time fished, the number and species of fish harvested and released, fishing methods, targeted species, and angler residence and preferences. Total catch and harvest are calculated by multiplying the average catch or harvest rate by the total fishing pressure.