Characterizing a Hidden Fishery: Setline Angling in the New River, Virginia

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) knows little about passive fishing gear (setlines) use in the New River. Some stakeholders feel setlines are not recreational fishing gear and harm game fish populations, others are concerned about regulating traditional fishing methods and eliminating a potentially subsistence-oriented fishery important to some rural residents. Standard creel and effort surveys do not adequately sample New River catfish anglers, particularly setline users. This study used an effort survey and experimental fishing to provide a basic characterization of setline effort and catch rates in the New River. Field work took place June-October, 2011. Setline effort was lower than expected, and remained fairly consistent June-August, declining to near zero by late September. A small number of highly-dedicated setline users may be responsible for the bulk of setline effort. Experimental fishing caught 290 catfish and only 46 game fish. Live bait (14.9 fish/100 hook-nights) overwhelmingly out-fished dead bait (4.4 fish/100 hook-nights). Human dimensions work characterizing demographics, motivations, and attitudes of New River setline anglers is currently underway. Preliminary findings suggest that most anglers using setlines do so mainly to harvest catfish for food. Although many people in the region used setlines for subsistence fishing in the past, the use of setlines has apparently declined in the past several decades, perhaps due to improving standard of living and the development of an excellent smallmouth bass and muskellunge fishery in the New River. Many in the older generation have ceased using setlines and apparently have not passed on their knowledge to new generations of anglers.