Comparison of Return-to-Angler for Three Trout Strains in a Tailwater Fishery

Reservoir tailwater areas can provide cold-water fishing opportunities in areas that otherwise could not support such a fishery. Below Fort Randall Dam near Pickstown, South Dakota, tailwater areas have these cold-water habitats allowing for South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks to implement a Trout put-and-take fishery. Evaluation of stocking densities, species stocked, and angler utilization are important to effectively manage a put-and-take Trout fishery. Thus, our objective is to assess and compare the return-to-angler of Plymouth Rock Brown Trout (PR BNT), Shasta Rainbow Trout (SH RBT), and McConaughy Rainbow Trout (MC RBT) in the Fort Randall Dam tailwater. Approximately 5,000 of each strain were stocked annually below Fort Randall Dam in 2011, 2012, and 2013. A roving angler use and harvest survey was conducted for approximately one month post-stocking to evaluate return-to-angler of each strain, estimate angler use and harvest, and provide insight to angler demographics. Based on our results Plymouth Rock Brown Trout returned better than either of the Rainbow Trout strains. McConaughy Rainbow Trout returned poorly and should not be considered when determining which strain to stock. With hatchery space limited, we need to ensure optimal use of hatchery products by maximizing return-to-anglers.