I need to spread the word on this too, and looking at the calendar, I need to do it now!
Two angler creel surveys to begin at Lake McConaughy in April
It’s the time of year for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to survey Lake McConaughy anglers for information that assists in statewide fisheries management decisions.
Two surveys will be conducted at the state recreation area starting April 1:
1. A daytime survey will take place April through October with clerks approaching anglers at boat ramps and shoreline locations.
2. A nighttime survey on walleye spawn will take place April to May, with survey stations set up at parking lots at the dam where anglers can approach clerks to participate.
Anglers will be interviewed about a single day’s fishing effort, including details on what the angler caught, released and how much time they fished. The traditional survey also will question anglers about fishing the dam at night in April or May. The walleye spawn survey will question them about when they fish for walleye at McConaughy and if they fish outside the spawn.
These surveys will provide insights on angler behavior and associated fish catch and harvest related to different seasons and locations of the reservoir. This information will help Game and Parks better understand angler-fish dynamics on the reservoir to guide future management.
“If you happen to be approached by a clerk this year, please take a few minutes to let them know about your fishing,” said Keith Hurley, fish and wildlife specialist for Game and Parks. “Your few minutes will go a long way in making your fishing even better down the road.”
The surveys will be conducted by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers through a partnership between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the School of Natural Resources.
If you are contacted by one of the creel clerks, please take a few minutes to answer their questions. The data we get from surveys like this are worth their weight in gold. Thank you for your cooperation!
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