A Survey of Sport Fishing in the Illinois Portion of Lake Michigan Reporting Period March 1, 2008 - February 28, 2009

A survey of sport fishing in the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan was conducted from April 1 to September 30, 2008. The survey covered all legal sport fishing during that period excluding fishing from chartered boats and smelt fishing. It included angling by pedestrians and fishing from boats. 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. Estimated total fishing effort for pedestrians and boaters was 530,000 angler-hours. Estimated total harvest included 262,000 yellow perch, 4,100 brown trout, 2,200 rainbow trout, 1,500 lake trout, 15,800 coho salmon, and 10,800 chinook salmon. Estimated expenditures for boats, motors, trailers, fishing gear, and automobile gas were over 5.6 million. The yield value of the sportfishing harvest was approximately 2.0 million. One additional special survey was conducted. From March 1 to March 31 an early season survey was conducted at Waukegan Harbor, Montrose Harbor and Calumet Park for pedestrian anglers and Waukegan Harbor and Calumet Park for launched-boat anglers. Anglers from both groups fished a total of 9,100 hours and harvested 1,300 yellow perch, 400 brown trout, 50 rainbow trout and 800 coho salmon. Estimated expenditures for boats, motors, trailers, fishing gear, and automobile gas were over $73,000.