A Survey of Sport Fishing in the Illinois Portion of Lake Michigan: March through September 2012

A survey of sport fishing in the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan was conducted from April 1 to September 30, 2011. 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 464,900 angler-hours. Estimated total harvest included 93,800 yellow perch, 1,200 brown trout,4,700 rainbow trout, 3,600 lake trout, 48,800 coho salmon, and 13,700 Chinook salmon. Estimated expenditures for boats, motors, trailers and fishing gear were over$2.8million. Anglers travelled 2.4 million miles. The yield value of the sport fishing harvest was approximately $2.6million.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 an estimatedtotal of 26,000 hours and harvested an estimated 8,900yellow perch, 1,800brown trout, 40rainbow trout, 20 lake troutand 3,200coho salmon. Estimated expenditures for boats, motors, trailersand fishing gear were nearly$64,000.