A Survey of Sport Fishing in the Illinois Portion of Lake Michigan: March through September 2018

A contact creel survey was conducted from April 1 to September 30, 2018, covering all legal sport fishing during that period (both by pedestrians and anglers fishing from boats), excluding fishing from chartered boats and smelt fishing. The intent of the survey was to provide reliable estimates of sport fishing activity, sport fish harvest, expenditures for sport fishing, and the quality and distribution of sport fishing for the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan. Total fishing effort for pedestrians and boaters for the survey period was estimated at 239,925 angler-hours. Total harvest estimates for major species during the survey period include 16,229 yellow perch, 869 brown trout, 2,136 rainbow trout, 4,539 lake trout, 32,002 Coho salmon, and 3,700 Chinook salmon. Angler expenditures for boats, motors, trailers and fishing gear were estimated at $8.19 million. Anglers traveled an estimated 1.86 million miles (round trip). The yield value of fish harvested by sport fishing was approximately $1.71 million. An additional early-season survey was conducted during March 1 to March 31 at Waukegan Harbor, Montrose Harbor, and Calumet Park for pedestrian anglers and Waukegan Harbor and Calumet Park for launched-boat anglers. In total, anglers harvested an estimated 695 yellow perch, 74 brown trout, 30 rainbow trout, 139 lake trout, and 767 Coho salmon in an estimated total of 11,940 hours of fishing during March. Total expenditures for fishing gear, boats, and motors during March were estimated at $156,998.