Characterizing a Hidden Fishery: Setline Angling In The New River, Virginia

Catfishes are an important food fish that are harvested from the New River by multiple methods, yet   standard sampling approaches do not accurately account for people fishing with setlines.  We characterized the somewhat hidden setline fishery by estimating setline effort and catch, and investigating the attitudes and opinions of setline users. Setline effort was highest during June-August of 2011, and declined significantly by mid-September. Several dedicated setline users accounted for a significant portion of total setline effort.  Experimental setlines baited with live minnows proved an effective method for catching catfish but caught few game fish.  Estimated bycatch of game fish by setliners is very small compared with catch by hook-and-line anglers.  Setlines appear part of a larger “way of life” for some rural people, who may also hunt, trap, and garden as part of activities to supplement their diet or income, while reducing their reliance on the cash economy. Setline fishing may be declining in the New River Valley. Major reasons for this perceived decline include changes to the river and surrounding land or culture, recreational traffic, law enforcement, trophy game fish, and lack of passage of setline tradition.