Creel Surveys - Northern Region Fisheries

Creel surveys are an important tool for assessing angler success and sport angler angling impacts on fisheries.

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Creel surveys in northern Wisconsin are generally conducted May-October and December-March on 15-20 lakes each year where walleye and other gamefish population estimates have also been calculated, so that managers can assure a balance between the number of fish in a population and the rate at which they are being harvested.

Surveys are conducted by creel clerks, who visit the lakes on a random schedule to count the number of anglers on the lake and collect information from anglers who have completed their fishing trips, including species of fish targeted, fish caught and harvested, lengths and marks of harvested fish, and the number of hours they spent fishing. This information is then used to estimate total fishing effort, catch and harvest rates, and exploitation (the percent of the adult population that is being harvested over the course of a year).

If you would like information on these surveys feel free to contact your local DNR. If you would like more information from past creel surveys, please check out:

• Creel Survey Final Reports
• The USGS Creel Survey Reports [exit DNR]

2011 - 2012 Creel Surveys

• Pine Lake (Iron Co.)
• Balsam Lake (Polk Co.)
• Chippewa Flowage (Sawyer Co.)
• Windfall Lake (Sawyer Co.)
• Long Lake (Bayfield Co.)
• Two Sisters Lake (Oneida Co.)
• Big Arbor Vitae Lake (Vilas Co.)
• Pelican Lake (Oneida Co.)
• Muskellunge Lake (Oneida Co.)
• Big St. Germain Lake (Vilas Co.)
• Ballard-Irving-White Birch Chain (Vilas Co.)
• Black Oak Lake (Vilas Co.)
• Archibald Lake (Oconto Co.)