A Survey of Sport Fishing in the Illinois Portion of Lake Michigan: March through September 2016

Acontact creelsurvey was conducted from April 1 to September 30, 2016, coveringall legal sport fishingduring 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 fishingfor the Illinois portion of Lake Michigan. Total fishing effort for pedestrians and boaters for the survey period was estimated at 305,482angler-hours. Total harvest estimates for major species during the survey period include 11,232yellow perch, 3,231 brown trout, 7,094rainbow trout, 7,413lake trout, 25,494coho salmon, and 6,107Chinook salmon. Angler expenditures for boats, motors, trailers and fishing gear were estimated at USD0.97 million. Anglers traveled an estimated 2.58 million miles (round trip). The yield value of fish harvested by sport fishing was approximately USD1.68 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 estimated586brown trout, 41 rainbow trout,and 1,939coho salmon in an estimated total of 13,806hoursof fishing during March. Total expenditures for fishing gear, boats, and motors during March were estimated at USD330,444.An additional survey of yellow perch angling was conducted during October 2015-February 2016 at a variety of sites in Chicago. Yellow perch anglers harvested an estimated 16,043 yellow perch in an estimated 25,414 hours of angling in this fall and winter period.