Lake Gaston Creel Survey Begins Sept. 1 2007

[NCangler]

RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 23) – Fisheries biologists and creel clerks with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will be conducting a year-long creel survey on Lake Gaston beginning Sept. 1.

They will interview anglers fishing from boats and along the bank to gather information on how often anglers fish the lake, the species they target, their catch, harvest and release rates, the amount of money they spend on each trip, and their general opinions about the quality of fishing at the lake.

The survey is required as part of the recently issued Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license. The license agreement calls for a creel survey to be conducted once every five years at Lake Gaston or Roanoke Rapids Lake.

Information on the intensity and patterns of angler use will help in refining and prioritizing fisheries management objectives at Lake Gaston. Collected information will also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of size and creel limits of largemouth bass, walleye, crappie and striped bass.

For more information on the creel survey, contact the Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries, (919) 707-0220. For more information on freshwater fishing in North Carolina, visit the Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org.