Douglas Lake - Gill Netting 2010
Sampling Date: December 2 - 3, 2010
Species collected in survey:
Walleye - 178
Sauger - 19
The TWRA sampled Douglas Reservoir on December 2 – 3, 2010 for sauger and walleye using experimental gill nets. We collected 19 sauger and 178 walleye mostly near points and the main channel, from the mouth of Muddy Creek to just above the mouth of Indian Creek.
For the second year in a row, the number of sauger collected was well below average. All of the sauger collected were 14-inches and larger which means we did not collect any young-of-the-year sauger. This indicates there was little, if any, natural sauger reproduction in 2010. We were optimistic that, with the new sauger regulations in place, there would be more females in the population to reproduce which would boost natural sauger reproduction in Douglas Reservoir. Although we saw more and bigger females in our samples from 2009, for some reason, environmental conditions were not favorable in 2010 for sauger reproduction. Therefore, TWRA will stock sauger in 2011 to help boost the recovery of the sauger population in Douglas Reservoir.
The number of walleye collected was nearly 4-times the normal amount collected. We have seen a steady increase in the walleye population since 2004 and for the first time, walleye catch rates were higher than sauger. Not only were they higher, they were over 9 times higher than the sauger catch rates. The bulk (about 60%) of the walleye fishery was comprised of 10 to 12-inch fish, indicating that walleye had another very successful reproductive year. With limited sauger reproduction, very low sauger catch rates, and two years in a row of very good walleye reproduction, it appears that in 2011, Douglas Reservoir will be primarily a walleye fishery during the annual walleye/sauger spawning season.
Sauger length frequency
Walleye length frequency
