Winter Catch‐and‐Release Hooking Mortality of Saugers below Lock and Dam 3 of the Mississippi River

Abstract

We evaluated the effect of length and depth of capture of saugers Sander canadensis on winter hooking mortality below Lock and Dam 3 of the Mississippi River (i.e., Pool 4) by catching saugers using the most common recreational fishing gear in these fisheries (jig and plastic, jig and minnow, and jigging spoons) and holding the fish for 72 h in a net-pen. Sauger winter hooking mortality was 26.4% and increased with depth of capture. Thirty-three percent (56 of 172) of the saugers caught at depths of 9 to 24 m died, compared with only 2% (1 of 41) of those caught at depths of 9 m or less. There was no relationship between fish length and mortality; however, fish caught at depths of 12 m or less were significantly larger. We applied our hooking mortality estimates (26.4%) to a concurrent creel census and estimated that 2,500-2,900 kg of saugers were lost each year to winter hooking mortality. The percentage of total angling mortality (harvest and hooking) resulting from catch and release each winter was 30.5% (2,515 kg/8,256 kg) in 2005-2006 and 33.0% (2,812 kg/8,529 kg) in 2006-2007. Based on the historical abundance and annual mortality estimates available for Pool 4 saugers, winter hooking mortality did not substantially reduce the population. However, anglers may reduce winter catch-and-release hooking mortality by fishing in shallower water (<9 m).

Survival of Angled Saugers in the Lower Tennessee River

“…Schreer et al (2009) reported that walleyes and yellow perch caught at greater depths were more likely to have barotrauma and die as a result of it. Meerbeek and Hoxmeier (2011), who observed a hooking mortality rate (26%) similar to our estimates (22-32%), also reported a direct relationship between mortality and capture depth for the saugers they angled in the upper Mississippi River at depths down to 24 m. Finally, Schramm et al (2010) also concluded that capture depth in tournaments inversely affected the survival of walleyes and saugers (although warm temperatures were considered to be the primary determinant of mortality in released fish). However, no such statistical relationships between fate and the incidence of gastric distension or depth of capture revealed themselves to us in the results presented herein.…”

“…Although Patterson et al (2000) and Stewart (2007) reported that large red snappers and silver seabreams Pagrus auratus were more likely to survive than small ones, length was not a significant predictor of hooking mortality for West Australian dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicu (Gitschlag and Renaud 1994). Similarly, Meerbeek and Hoxmeier (2011) detected no relationship between sauger lengths and survival, and Schreer et al (2009) found no relationship between the sizes of walleye and yellow perch Perca flavescens and the incidence of barotrauma or survival. Bettoli et al (2000) suspected that ascent rate is an important factor in determining the incidence of barotrauma (and possibly survival) in saugers; however, ascent rate was not statistically related to survival in the present study.…”

“…Hooking mortality due to gas bladder overinflation and other factors (e.g., hook type and ascent time) was not found to be a serious problem for released saugers in a previous study conducted in the shallower waters of the upper Tennessee River (Bettoli et al 2000). However, a number of studies have reported a relationship between the survival of angled percids and the frequency of barotrauma or capture depth (Fletcher 1987;Keniry et al 1996;Cano et al 2001;Schreer et al 2009;Schramm et al 2010), including one on saugers in the Mississippi River (Meerbeek and Hoxmeier 2011). Thus, the objective of this study was to use ultrasonic telemetry to estimate the survival of saugers angled in the lower Tennessee River at depths less than 20 m.…”

Mortality of Walleyes Angled from the Deep Waters of Rainy Lake, Minnesota

“…Bruesewitz et al (1993) found low mortality rates (<10%) during winter months characterized by very cold water temperatures. In contrast, Meerbeek and Hoxmeier (2011) found hooking mortality rates of 26.4% for saugers S. canadensis angled from the Mississippi River during winter months. Although both of these studies addressed water depth, neither addressed open-water angling during normal summer temperatures.…”

“…Bruesewitz et al (1993) found low mortality rates (<10%) during winter months characterized by very cold water temperatures. In contrast, Meerbeek and Hoxmeier (2011) Angling at great depths has the potential to have critical physiological impacts on released fish, especially physoclistous species. Feathers and Knable (1983) found that bloating and external hemorrhaging occurred in largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides that were caught from depths of 18-27 m. Impacts, albeit less significant, also occurred at shallower depths.…”