North Dakota Outdoors: fish surveys

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Fish replica and stocking success have been above common on most North Dakota lakes surveyed this fall.

Mike Anderson reveals us what fisheries biologists did to survey Lake Sakakawea.

Fisheries biologists spend quite a lot of time in fall surveying district lakes and the Missouri River System in North Dakota in search of pure fish replica, spring fish stocking success and forage circumstances.

“Principally, we’re how the 12 months went for copy of fish, every little thing from sport fish all the way down to forage species. So it offers us a snapshot of how nicely issues have been for the fish replica that 12 months,” mentioned NDGF fisheries supervisor Dave Fryda.

On this present day, we tagged together with Dave Fryda and his fisheries crew on Lake Sakakawea.

“We had very excessive abundance of white bass, goldeye, crappie, good numbers of spottails, quite a lot of these what we name various forage apart from our smelt, however these fish did very well. One other spotlight is we’ve seen the strongest sauger replica we’ve ever documented within the final 50 some years of those surveys. And our walleye are wanting fairly good too,” mentioned Fryda.

Fryda says the annual hydroacoustic survey on Lake Sakakawea carried out in August, indicated an excellent abundance of smelt within the reservoir.

“Lake Sakakawea nonetheless is doing very nicely with each sport fish and forage circumstances. And you recognize, 2022 is an distinctive fishing 12 months on Sakakawea once more,” mentioned Fryda.

To catch small fish, for the replica survey, you want small mesh entice nets and gill nets.

“It targets simply small fish. We don’t catch a lot for grownup fish in these nets this time of 12 months. So additionally the nets that we use in the course of the summer time to catch grownup fish won’t pattern these fish this time of 12 months,” mentioned Fryda.

Fish replica surveys are essential for managing Lake Sakakawea and different waterbodies in North Dakota.

“It’s as a result of it offers us an concept of what we’re going to have in three or 4 years down the street when these fish begin recruiting to a dimension that anglers are prepared to reap after they get to that 14-to-16–18-inch vary,” mentioned Fryda.

In spring, biologists will inventory fish into lakes to assist enhance the populations if obligatory.

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